


The Last Shinobi

by Dare_mo_inai



Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Naruto
Genre: F/M, Not Beta Read, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:49:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 31
Words: 109,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24592564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dare_mo_inai/pseuds/Dare_mo_inai
Summary: The numbers of shinobi drastically decreased over the past generations till near extinction. People stopped using chakra as their source of power and focused on developing a modern society with the help of technology until they've achieved space-flight and the Reapers harvested their civilization... except one. Follow the ninja way of the last living shinobi Akane Uchiha.
Relationships: Javik (Mass Effect)/Original Female Character(s), Steven Hackett/Female Shepard
Comments: 26
Kudos: 7





	1. The End Marks A New Beginning

The Mass Effect Trilogy and Naruto belong to their respective owners, thus being Masashi Kishimoto and BioWare.

_„Thinking"_

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: Eastern Sector of Konoha

She was running through the wasteland she once called home. Everything was abandoned, hollow when she looked at it. The skyscrapers, which were once proud buildings touching the sky above, were reduced to massive obstacles on the ground. At this rate, this image of her home embedded itself in her mind, erasing any memory of how beautiful it once used to be. But these were just her second thoughts, thoughts that always bothered her when she passed the city.

„Where is she?!" she asked out in a mere whisper which was more directed to herself than someone else. Not that there was someone who would listen. She was alone after the Abenjāzu Downfall, exiled to be more exact. At least this had kept Shirone safe when she hadn't been around. That was reason enough to subject her to this hell.

Akane had her Sharingan and Byakugan active, although hidden behind the long bangs framing her face perfectly. The Sharingan, in case of an ambush, because she was technically a missing-nin to be killed on-sight and most probably the target of someone's vengeance. Even as she trained her Byakugan to have a range of vision up to ten kilometres and its vision could penetrate through any solid objects or obstructions, which was practical in her search for her sister, Shirone was absolutely nowhere to be seen.

The amount of worry that twisted her stomach into knots along with the increasing anxiety made her sick. Not because she didn't care for her sister, but because this feeling foretold her that someone was about to die or in the least, something bad was about to happen. Through experience, she kept her breathing calm and her mind sharpened even though her thoughts rivalled a raging inferno.

Until her Byakugan caught the image of a field of bodies 4.6 kilometres to the east. A battlefield. That alone forced her to run faster.

„Raiton: Chakura Mōdo," she muttered under her collar as her speed increased so drastically that even if someone had been following her, they would have no chance of catching up. It took her under a minute to cross the distance, and every meter brought more details into her vision.

It was Shirone's unit, or what was left of it. The smell of blood was prominent as was the sight of death around her. It was evident that Shirone's unit was greatly outnumbered by the count of Reaper ground forces slaughtered on the ground. 

This was a game called war. And she had become an awfully good player at it. Her emotions becoming so numb that even at the sight of her former comrades... she felt nothing, though she recognized some of their faces if they hadn't been ravaged by the enemy.

She killed her friends, her superiors. She killed her lover, her father, and even her mother at some point. She cried tears of blood and killed every shred of feeling she had inside her, then she killed the Abenjāzu for the sake of the Second Allied Shinobi Forces.

She had lost everything... besides her twin sister.

And she would make sure to keep it that way. Even if it meant hurting others, even if it meant taking lives, even if it meant to forsake all of humanity... to hell with that, even if Akane had to become the devil itself. For the sake of Shirone Uchiha, she accepted disgrace in the place of honour, and hate in the place of love. Because Shirone was the one who made living in this world bearable.

Yet now, she felt as if she was about to lose everything.

And her fears were only confirmed when she saw a figure alike Shirone resting against a heap of debris in the near distance.

„Shirone!" Akane cried out loud, breaking one of the rules of shinobi when in enemy territory. She closed the distance between in a few long strides, her breathing became more and more uneven, and she felt pure terror running down her spine.

„ _What happened? What's going on?_ " she wanted to ask, though she managed to keep it restricted to her mind. Without any seconds to waste, she knelt down to check her sister's pulse, a bit relieved when she found a faint beat while analyzing the source of blood loss and injuries with her Byakugan.

Shirone's right arm was missing, she had three broken ribs and her right foot was shattered plus not to count the minor cuts covering the rest of her body.

„A-Aka... ne," Shirone rasped and tried her best to open one of her eyes, probably too weak to keep both open. She still had half of her chakra left, bringing Akane to the conclusion that she must have been suppressing her chakra up until now to mask her presence.

„Hang in there, Shirone!" Akane vowed as a green light enveloped both of her hands she put on her twin's right shoulder. Her sister only hissed at contact.

„Did y-you... have to wake... me? It hurts again." Shirone chuckled, resting her good eye on Akane.

„Don't talk," Akane looked up for a moment, her Sharingan meeting her sister's, before she finished, „please." It was more of a desperate plea than the usual heat behind Akane's voice whenever she barked back at her twin that had Shirone relent. 

Akane could only use basic medical jutsu that mostly anybody knew in case of first aid, and she cursed at herself that she hadn't mastered more medical ninjutsu, because hers only managed to slow down the bleeding. It was by far not enough.

 _„At this rate, Shirone is going to die,"_ she concluded, glancing frantically between her twin's face and her wound as if she expected life to leave her eyes anytime.

Shirone averted her only good eye from her other half, up at the sunset before her. The sunshine was reflecting off the blood of her friends which were diffused on the plane. The scenery and the thoughts that came along with it made her want to cry, but she feared that she would shorten the remaining time she had left once she erupted into hiccups. She couldn't do that to her sister.

But by Kami everyone was dead, and Shirone was certain that she was soon going to join them. She couldn't feel the lower part of her body already, despite Akane's best efforts.

 _„She tries to save me again... when have I ever done something for her?"_ Shirone thought as she looked over her sister's helpless expression. That was a question she had been asking herself since their mother's death.

Akane always shouldered the burdens alone, not wanting her other half to get involved. She always acted alone. Now Shirone had the chance to save her for once.

 _„Boido sunpō."_ Shirone activated one of her Mangekyō Sharingan's abilities, using Akane's distracted mind to her advantage. Successfully taking herself and Akane into her pocket dimension where they would be safe before her twin could protest.

Even with her Sharingan and Byakugan active, she was blind to the chakra Shirone amassed in her eye sockets while she was focused on healing her. That was why she was taken by surprise so effortlessly when the vortex began sucking her in with such force that resistance was not just useless, but also dangerous.

In a matter of seconds, she felt so many different emotions. From anxious to aggravated, then astonished. Up until now, Akane didn't even know that she had the basic Sharingan, not to mention Mangekyō Sharingan, making her realize how out of the loop she ended up. Though it left her wondering from the moment their eyes met anew after two years of separation.

"This is the ability of my left Mangekyō Sharingan..." Shirone's croaky voice brought Akane back from her mussing and she glanced at her sister. Shirone gave her a small smile and thanks to the healing, she could open her other eye as well; resulting in the two of them finally being able to take in each other's faces properly.

Black orbs met black. It had been far too long since they last saw each other, and they both relished the moment enough not to interrupt it. Their gaze held a thousand words they had no time to express, and at this point, they both knew what fate Shirone awaited.

It was naïve to hope for the impossible, yet Akane couldn't - no wouldn't - accept it. Just the notion was painful enough, not to mention the grief that overtook the young Uchiha when she felt as incapable as when her mother died all those years ago.

She hated it; hated never being strong enough to protect what was precious to her. That's the reason she wanted to become powerful; to prevent this type of situation to happen again.

_"To what use is this power when I couldn't even save my family with it?!"_

She couldn't hold back the tears that came up to her eyes now.

"I am sorry... so sorry." Akane fell to her knees and wept into her blood tainted hands for what was yet to come.

The way her voice sounded so broken, so solemn; it forced Shirone into action. With what little strength she had left in her body, she lifted her upper body and somewhat rounded her spare arm around her crying sister.

"You have absolutely nothing to be sorry about," assured Shirone with a soothing voice despite the pain that surged through her nerves.

Feeling the pressure on her skin, Akane hesitated before wrapping her sister into a firm embrace and wailing even more at the display of kindness.

She knew she wasn't worthy of such actions. 

She deserved every ounce of hate thrown her way, every feeling of resentment for the crimes she had done.

Shirone tenderly caressed her back until she wasn't able to keep upright and was solely relying on Akane not to let her fall.

"Ever since our mother passed, you kept going alone... shouldering every burden and responsibility as the head of the family. These past seven years, you've always protected father and me. I felt you go further into darkness until I couldn't catch up to you." Shirone confessed slowly.

"You were in the dark, so darkness you have become, taking up a calm and vigilant mask despite everything life's thrown at you but..." she paused to catch her breath, "... I saw everything that was happening behind your mask. How much pain you've been through. How much you've endured up until this point. And all I felt for you was..." she stopped for a moment, probably reconsidering what she wanted to say, though, to Akane, these were her longest seconds ever, "... pain." Shirone finished with a cough of blood, signalling Akane to ease her embrace a bit.

"When I see you take on the world and get all messed up... it hurts. It hurts a lot, and even if I wanted to simply ignore it, I just couldn't. You were - no are - my hero." Akane felt her twin shaking a bit.

"You have been always in front of me, so close yet so far away, until my only desire was to help you anyhow I could. But then you were gone. And I realized I was too late." It was Shirone's turn to let her tears fall; Akane felt it even though she couldn't see it. Choosing to return the gesture, Akane held Shirone closer to her, patting her in a spiky ponytail tied up raven-black hair until she calmed down.

"So... as your twin sister and as someone who deeply cares about you..." she broke free from their long embrace after a gentle push, and said in utter honesty, "... let me help you for Kami's sake." And they both couldn't help but chuckle.

Words died on Akane's tongue as she watched her sister's eyes shine with intimidating determination. She couldn't say no or before she had a chance to say no, Shirone put her to sleep with her Sharingan, just like she had done before the Abenjāzu Downfall.

Shirone smiled as Akane dropped on her the moment she had cast the genjutsu. It was the best for her because she knew that her sister would have ranted like she always did when she was worried, though she couldn't deny a tiny bit of revenge in her action.

„Okay, enough is enough or I will bleed out before I have the chance to cast my last jutsu," she joked before laying flat on her back while taking Akane with her and putting her down half on her, so she could link their chakra to be able to preserve her jutsu's effect as long as possible.

_„Taimufurīzushīru!"_

* * *

Words dictionary:

Boido sunpō ボイド寸法 / Void Dimension – Is the ability of Shirone Uchiha's left Mangekyō Sharingan, which allows her to perform space-time ninjutsu that serves as a gateway to her own dimensional space. She can absorb any object she desires into it, whether it is herself or a person, but she has to be in contact with the object/person to do so.

Abenjāzu Downfall – Was the massacre of the entire Abenjāzu fraction within the Second Allied Shinobi Forces by Akane Uchiha.

Raiton: Chakura Mōdo 雷遁チャクラモード / Lightning Release: Chakra Mode \- The user wraps their body in a layer of lightning chakra to increase their physical parameters, with more lightning causing greater increases. The lightning augments the strength of the user's taijutsu, creating what is called nintaijutsu. The lightning also defends the user from most attacks, deflecting them away on contact.


	2. I Will See You On The Other Side

_"Thinking"_

"Talking"

" **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: Unknown

Time: Unknown

Shirone woke up earlier than Akane. No wonder when she used up not only her chakra but her slumbering sister's as well. They were both drained to the point of life-threatening exhaustion; hence, the jutsu ceased to function and she was poorly prepared at the sudden income of pain from her injuries. She had barely managed to transport them out of her pocket dimension before she collapsed completely.

She certainly had no idea where they were or how much time had passed, though she took it as a good sign that they weren't surrounded by the familiar wasteland of debris; instead being greeted by a breathtaking blue sky, unlike anything she had seen since well... forever. It felt unreal.

" _I hope we haven't kicked the bucket yet, because that would be a poor excuse of a hero, and I wouldn't hear the end of it from Akane if so._ " The twin rolled her eyes, her Mangekyō Sharingan disappearing in the absence of the needed amount of chakra to maintain it.

When she was sure that they weren't dead; evident by the pain she still felt coursing through her nerves. She was short on time. 

At first, she was content just to lay down next to Akane, enjoying the fresh breeze and quiet that she hadn't felt in a long time. Her vision was that of a drunk because of the strain of using the Mangekyō Sharingan put on her vision. Thinking of her eyes had her reminding of a conversation she once had with her sister's deceased lover Haruko Uchiha.

(Flashback)

Location: Somewhere near the Abenjazū Hideout

Time: Before the Abenjazū Downfall

"You care about her a great deal, don't you?" asked Shirone in a playful tone, watching the three years older Uchiha before her, only to leave her smirk to herself at the simple idea of Akane having an actual _boyfriend_. She wasn't really the social type. She had rarely interacted with girls, not to mention boys. But now...

The smirk lingering on her lips vanished and was replaced by a sad smile. The world had changed, and so had Akane. The once withdrawn and peaceful bookworm was replaced by a cold and calculated warrior, determined to survive.

Right after their mother had died several years ago, Akane underwent such a drastic change that it would startle most people who had known her from before. If they survived the first Reaper attack, that was.

The unfortunate passing of their mother that day took a toll on their family, especially their father. He never got over it, and the both of them were left to fend for themselves. That was why Akane had taken the position as the head of the family while she and father could only mourn their mother.

If it hadn't been for Akane joining the Second Allied Shinobi Forces, they wouldn't have gotten to see another day. Shirone wasn't capable of understanding at that time, which made her realize how mature Akane, in reality, was in comparison to her.

"More than I can put into words." The sixteen-years old teen turned around, the red glow of his complete Sharingan visible with the naked eye.

They were at the top of a wry skyscraper or what was left of its original height, watching the sun fall behind the horizon. The tips of his spiky short jet-black hair cohering with the settling darkness of the night. A trait they had in common based on their bloodline, along with the surname.

Shirone vaguely noticed the first time the Sharingan awakened in Akane. It was the moment their mother was crushed under tons of wrecks. Shirone herself manifested it days later, due to the sorrow she had felt with her mother missing, unbeknown to her twin. Although it was a bit different from Haruko's pair in the amount of these black points or 'tomoe', as Akane called it.

"She is everything I have left after..." his gaze flickering to a Reaper Destroyer in the far distance. There was no need for him to finish because Shirone knew exactly what he meant. Nearly everyone lost someone during the first reaper attack and Haruko wasn't an exception.

"I understand," she added to ease his thoughts, earning a sigh from him. It was obvious by the way he talked how much Akane meant to him, even when his tone was as impassive as ever. She was honestly glad that her sister had found someone to look after her; even more than that.

"Listen, that's not the reason why I wanted to talk to you," he continued, breaking the silence that always came back between their pauses.

His gaze fell back on her. Onyx orbs lightning up in the wake of his pair of Sharingan.

"I am all ears," she knew that he wouldn't have called for her in private if it hadn't been anything important.

"I am going to tell you something that I haven't told Akane yet and I pray that you won't ever need to use this information." His face grew serious.

"The time will come when you and your sister will have the same eyes as me."

She watched in awe as his Sharingan changed its pattern to something she hadn't seen before, though she chose not to let it have an effect on her expression as she waited for him to elaborate.

"It's called the Mangekyō Sharingan; the next as well as the final evolution of the complete Sharingan."

His eyes never really left her, and she knew that this wasn't all he had meant to tell her, even though she was curious about it, she held back questions.

"That's not true, however, there is another stage after the Mangekyō Sharingan that very few know about..." he stopped, most likely reconsidering his next choice of words before finally giving in, "... the **Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan**. A stage I will never be able to achieve, but you or your sister for sure."

His gaze grew intense as his last words were spoken; Shirone almost flinched under the intensity but managed to control herself in time. No matter how much stronger her twin was, she was still a shinobi too, so she would damn act like one.

He waited patiently for her reaction, awaiting her response. She didn't really know what to make of it. Call her stupid, but she couldn't quite understand it either. It was all so confusing, everything regarding the Sharingan and bloodline and such. Her sister would make better use of this information.

"First of all, I have no clue what you're talking about, which brings me to my actual question: Why telling ME all THIS when I am damn sure that I am not the right person for it?"

 _"Great job, Shirone! You manage to make fun of every damn thing!" s_ he mentally face-palmed herself for retreating behind humour again which only made Haruko chuckle.

"Ahem," she cleared her throat, "you know what I mean."

"Because you're someone I trust with this." The young man responded casually. Oh, wait- what?

"But I thought-"

"It's because I love Akane that I didn't choose to tell her this."

He cut her off to ensure her, though it earned him a raised brow so he added, "I don't want to lose her," he confessed, showing a tiny crack of vulnerability in his perfect poker face.

"Your sister is wandering off a path I fear she won't return from; a darkness even my Mangekyō Sharingan won't see through."

The intense gaze he had been was giving off softened into one of worry, enough for Shirone to know that he was telling the truth.

"You will know what to make of it when the time comes."

His poker face returned momentarily as he broke eye contact with her, settling his eyes back on their environment. Shirone stepped up so they were on eye-level, asking about the details as well as... other things.

(Flashback end)

 _"It seems that I will have to walk through heaven or hell blind."_ Shirone thought as realization dawned on her. With the last remaining bit of chakra, she took both of her eyes and transplanted them into her incapacitated sister.

The pain was negligible in spite of the wounds that were inflicted on her body, before definitely collapsing at her sister. She whispered something, but it was so inaudible that nobody around could have heard it.

"Give 'em hell sis..." she muttered as her last breath left her lungs.

* * *

Location: Exodus Cluster - Utopia System - Eden Prime

Time: Early afternoon

Akane slowly came to her senses, experiencing a familiar oblivion seconds after stirring from sleep. Everything faded away in those blissful moments. No sorrow, no pain, no war, no guilt... everything that was troubling her simply vanished within a few seconds.

Well in most cases, though this time, something was different.

She felt that something was nagging at the back of her mind, something she had ignored up until now but couldn't anymore due to an extrinsic pressure perceived by her nerve endings on her stomach. Then she became aware of a warmth softly stroking her open skin, making her body twitch in response until she came to the conclusion that she needed to wake up.

Her eyes flew open and she regretted opening them when she was blinded by penetrating sunshine even her eyelids couldn't block out, for a moment she thought it was permanent until she adjusted to it at last, though with the help of her hand. Her hand wasn't the usual colour, instead, skin sodden in blood left to dry under the watch of the ember star.

That was the trigger for her memories to return.

"Shirone!" she shot up, and the sight she was met with turned the rushing blood in her veins into ice. Her precious twin laid half across her stomach, unmoving.

"Shirone! Wake up, PLEASE!" she cried out aloud at the top of her lungs, not caring who heard her desperate plea.

"Don't leave, I am begging you, don't leave me here alone!" she violently shook with the dead body as if trying to force life into it but failing miserably.

Her body long accepted what her mind couldn't and the tears of blood streaked down her dirty cheeks like a crimson waterfall while hugging her twin in an embrace that meant more than anyone could understand.

"Shirone is... _dead,_ " she couldn't voice the word. She couldn't handle the excruciating pain that came along with it. The haunting affirmation it brought when said out loud. She failed... for the fourth time in her life, she failed to protect those precious to her until she had none left.

 **What should she do now?** When she had been robbed of her purpose.

 **Where should she go?** To the left where is nothing right or to the right where is nothing left?

Questions she had no need asking herself before were invading her mind like a wild storm, confusing her, making her doubt. During her time in the Second Allied Shinobi Forces, her purpose was clear: get stronger. And that's exactly what she had been doing these past five years under the tutelage of many experienced shinobi including Haruko Uchiha, who in large part had helped her achieve the full potential of her Sharingan while she manifested the Byakugan.

 _All that power for nothing._ A statement that was proven through years of experience and loss. She thought of herself as an adult now, but only now she recognised that she was wrong; so very wrong. And the way she was lost now; only served to confirm it.

She was nothing more than a child who lost its family; an orphan.

Easing off the hug, Akane's onyx orbs roamed over her lifeless sister; appreciating her form and beauty.

She noted the jet-black hair that was pulled back in a high ponytail. The face framed with bangs extending to her chin, parted by a V-shaped mane.

 _"The ponytail and bangs have grown longer over the two years."_ Another reminder of the time they had spent apart.

She framed her face with the palm of her hands to place a kiss on her forehead. A meaningless gesture, she knew. The movement let the motionless Shirone drop something she had been clutching in her hand; a piece of paper.

Akane carefully took the parchment from her twin's grip, silently cursing when she found it soaked in blood that hadn't been there before. She put down Shirone in order to examine it. Her breath hitched when she looked at the inscription but didn't want to beat too long around the bush even if it held a bigger significance to Akane.

(Letter content)

_Yo sis!_

_I know we haven't seen each other in years, but I will have to keep it short 'cause I am kinda running out of blood pretty quickly. I am gonna break it down into points because it's easier._

_#1. No matter where you are or what you're doing, or who you're with, I will always honestly, truly, completely love you. And because I know you're goddamn deaf, let me repeat myself so you finally get it. I loved you yesterday, I love you still. I always have and always will. I am asking you to always remember that._

_#2. I know 'fake' is the latest trend and that everyone seems to be in style (except me -_-), but don't wear that mask for too long or you will forget who you are behind it. That's a warning!_

_(I can't believe I am still alive to write about point 3 XDDD)_

_#3. Don't follow after me so quickly, okay?! It will take time to brag to mom about everything and especially how I saved your pretty little ass XD. Nah, last request: Just live your life, be happy, smile and laugh, enjoy the time that has been given to you and don't you dare to come back without being an old hag with lots of kids! Promise me!_

_PS: I gave you my eyes, something about Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan and more power and such, at least that's what Haruko told me... take it as a birthday gift since I haven't given you one over the past two years._

_Lots of love, Shirone :*_

(End of the letter)

Akane was shaking, she wasn't sure if it was because of chakra exhaustion or the letter, though she couldn't stop. More than ever, she felt a strange feeling of relief, as if the chains that had been holding her down were gone. If for forever or just now, she knew not. However, it didn't matter now because it made her feel lighter around the heart, though she still had no clue what to do.

She folded the clumsily torn paper so it would fit into one of the pouches of her tight black cloak. The letter indeed boosted her morale significantly, though the pain still lingered. Nevertheless, since waking up she hadn't gotten any time to enjoy the pleasant change of scenery spread out before her.

She took a full breath of air, filling her lung to the brim with fresh oxygen while at the same time inhaling the scent of grass and flowers on the field they were lying on. She fell back on her spine, taking in the sight of pure blue instead of the usually tainted sky.

 _"This looks like heaven in comparison to our..."_ she mused, enjoying the scenery to its fullest while she is still able to.

She didn't know how much time she had spent like that, but all good things must come to end. With a sigh, she got up on shaking feet, looking around to see nothing but green. Not able to use her ocular powers due to chakra exhaustion, she had to do it the old-fashioned way.

In need of a better view, she walked up to the closest steep hill, taken by surprise as a strong wind stream nearly knocked her on her butt.

Having a clear view, her eyes pointed out some sort of village or a small town in the far distance, by a guess forty or fifty miles to the north-west from her position. A dead body takes more than one week to start to rot, though, with this amount of wounds and such intense sunlight, it would take shorter.

 _"I will have to hurry when I want to give Shirone a proper burial,"_ she contemplated inside her mind while going down the hill, back to her twin's body.

"No time to waste..." Akane threw Shirone over her shoulder to begin the journey into the unknown.

* * *

Words dictionary:

Mangekyō Sharingan 万華鏡写輪眼 / Kaleidoscope Copy Wheel Eye \- Is distinguished from a normal Sharingan by its appearance, which changes the form of the tomoe seal, while the exact design differs for each user. It is initially awakened by the trauma suffered from witnessing the death of someone close to the user. The Mangekyō Sharingan retains all of the Sharingan's generic abilities. In addition to that, the Mangekyō grants powerful abilities that differ between each eye or may not even be the same for both of a single user's eyes.

Eien no Mangekyō Sharingan 永遠の万華鏡写輪眼 / Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan \- Is the second strongest dōjutsu kekkei genkai of the Uchiha clan, being a more powerful variant of the Mangekyō Sharingan. This dōjutsu can only be awakened by a user of the standard Mangekyō Sharingan transplanting the eyes of a relative who has also awakened that dōjutsu. An automatic effect of awakening these eyes is that the user's vision is fully and forever restored from the damage done to it by awakening and using the Mangekyō Sharingan. It also allows the user to sue all their abilities of the original Mangekyō Sharingan even more powerfully and with less strain on their eyes and cost to their chakra reserves.

Taimufurīzushīru タイムフリーズシール / Time Freeze \- Is the ability of Shirone Uchiha's right Mangekyō Sharingan, which is an incredibly powerful genjutsu that Shirone Uchiha can cast on herself or another person. The jutsu stops one's time completely, preventing them from ageing or dying even if wounded. The duration of the jutsu depends on the chakra reserves of the caster and on the amount of person the caster chose to cast the genjutsu on. The more people caught in the genjutsu, the more chakra is needed for its preservation. The ultimate drawback to the jutsu is that it requires at least four decades before it could be used again and that the 'frozen' bodies are completely vulnerable during the time the genjutsu is cast on them.


	3. New Friends Against An Old Enemy

_"Thinking"_

"Talking"

" **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: Exodus Cluster - Utopia System - Eden Prime

Time: Late Afternoon

Akane huffed in annoyance.

The female Uchiha's perception of time was violated. She didn't know by how much, though she stopped counting after the tenth kilometre. The heat of the sun made it difficult to move not to mention breathe, and Akane was convinced that if she squeezed her clothes about right now; she would get a bucket full of sweat. Nothing unexpected there when she wore an all-black outfit.

_Perfect leg workout._

Her legs weighted more than a ton by the way she walked with the heavy load and she lost the feeling of her shoulder about half an hour ago. At least she had enough chakra to activate her Byakugan.

Having clear x-ray vision was one of the great pros of having the Byakugan, among other things of course. Coming from a much more deluded bloodline, she and her twin weren't born with it as any other pure-blooded Hyūga would.

Howbeit Akane wasn't even sure if Shirone had inherited the genes from their mother. Genetics wasn't a topic Akane was overly familiar with, having learned just a small portion of it in biology lessons. Despite that, the probably last Uchiha knew that no traces of the Byakugan emerged in Shirone throughout their time together, at least from what she apperceived of her twin's progress.

"Nothing within ten kilometres..." she grumbled to herself because of the lack of company. Another act to question her sanity. She shook her head to repel such unnecessary thoughts to better concentrate on keeping her balance.

The sun was steadily disappearing. The clear blue heaven was replaced by a stellate night sky with some gauze clouds lazily passing by. The beautiful change was destroyed by an audible growl. She didn't tense cause she knew exactly where the sound came from; her stomach. There was no way to stop the loud curse from escaping her lips.

"Aw fuck! Not now stomach!"

 _"Now I will have to hurry twice as much. Can't survive too long without food or water."_ The thought passed through her mind, nonchalantly forcing her legs to increase the pace. She was already enjoying the idea of having blisters all over her feet.

* * *

Location: Exodus Cluster - Utopia System - Eden Prime - Prothean dig site

Dr Warren POV

Dr Warren was more than excited, though she hid it behind a mask of professionalism. Two days had passed since she and other archaeologists or scientists began to research the Prothean Beacon discovered by a research team. Upon discovering the beacon, they sent word to System Alliance to debate with the Citadel Council for further precaution, since humans were part of the galactic community too; a young member in particular.

Until the Council had made the decision what to do next with the beacon, the doctor in cooperation with the scientific team sent by the System Alliance will continue to research it; as their job suggest. The doctor was currently at camp, to be precise in her shed, with her assistant Dr Manuel, who was a genius and a madman altogether. Nothing to fuss about, she had worse assistants during her years.

Another day meant another shift. She followed through with her usual morning routine. She always began her shift a bit earlier than her colleagues to have some alone time while doing her job as an archaeologist. Working in a group can have up and downs sometimes. She wasn't expecting anything unusual today except her normal shift.

However nostalgic it seemed, she had been proven otherwise as soon as her green-coloured eyes caught sight of two figures lying on the ground near the beacon.

"Aa **-** " Warren had to bite her tongue not to cry out loud to avoid panic, though she ran over to them. At first glance, she thought both dead but corrected herself right after she saw a minor rise of one's chest.

 _"This one is still breathing."_ A short sigh of relief escaped her lips. That small hint of life prompted the doc into calling the small medical team at their camp.

"Here is Dr Warren, requesting all medical support at the dig site immediately! This is an emergency, I repeat, this is an emergency!" She all but shouted through the comm of her omni-tool, trying to provide at least some first aid until the medical team got here.

* * *

Location: Exodus Cluster - Utopia System - Eden Prime - Prothean dig side

Akane woke up to that sound; this one sound that declared war on her kind. The one sound that sounded like a shriek of the damned, like a promise of death, a sound she would never be able to forget; the battle cry of a Reaper. Her basic survival instincts signalled her to move from the incoming danger.

Her upper body moved as if programmed, quickly examining her surroundings. She was clad in a white hospital gown and held within a small room with modern devices. She felt the life support attached to her body and an oxygen mask on her face, so she assumed she was in a hospital, though that was just secondary thought.

_"I need to find my gear."_

She looked around in hopes to find it somewhere in the room, relieved beyond comprehension that they were folded on the nearby chair, even her weapons were still in place; something she was pleasantly surprised at since she thought she was in a hospital. The shouting of people forced her thoughts back on the enemy ahead or what else was waiting for her outside.

Grabbing her gear and suiting up into a freshly cleaned outfit, she wanted to slam the door open only to be bested by it, landing with a loud curse on the ground.

_"First reminder of the day: never charge at a door like a battering ram, noted. Loud and clear."_

She quickly recovered and got back up on her feet, realising that it couldn't be opened by normal means like any casual door.

Good thing she wasn't anyone ordinary for a long time. A corner of her lips quirked up as she moulded her chakra into her foot in order to kick the mechanical door down in one shot. The loud noise from breaking the door probably alarmed all enemies around, but Akane had her chokutō ready in her hands.

Most of the fatigue was gone, though her chakra reserves were by far not full, forcing her to minimize the use of jutsu in this fight and by that, compromising her effectiveness in battle. She decided it was a wise choice to activate both of her Byakugan since they didn't require much chakra and were great in case of close combat.

To her surprise, the first thing she hadn't found was a reaper destroyer looming over her, but instead, a capital ship of theirs docking somewhere near a spaceport.

"So these fuckers survived." Akane snapped in anger, visibly not content with the situation she awoke in.

_"So Shirone's sacrifice was for nothing?"_

She clenched her teeth. No! She won't allow them to corrupt even that. Never again. She calmed herself down, needing to cool her head and act rationally.

_Fighting spirit is necessary but keep it inside. A shinobi becomes truly effective when he is able to control his on-battle presence. To do that, he mustn't show any kind of emotion or the slightest hint of hesitation._

One of the many things Haruko taught her when he had been her teacher... and lover.

It often served as a reminder for their time together but also an anchor during battle.

She didn't have enough chakra to preserve her armoured Susanoo in order to bring down the ship, so it would be pure suicide to even try to attack it now. She would get her revenge, but not now, not while she wasn't at full strength. Besides, there were innocent people or other beings dying all around. She would rather focus on saving them from the attack.

She activated her Byakugan to look around gather some information about the ongoing battle. Three soldiers jumped down a spacecraft not so long ago, though one was shot down by some type of drones. Perhaps they were her best shot right now.

However, as she ran towards her destination, she forgot that even despite her near-completely silent movements, the few Ryū no ha positioned nearby sensed her approach and activated. The metal spikes came down with the impaled humans - no Kara - releasing them from the device to attack Akane. She had a lot of experience fighting them; they used to mock them as 'taihō shiryō', even though it didn't have the desired effect since they are nothing more than mindless creatures prone to aggressive behaviour.

The Reapers used the kara (a.k.a taihō shiryō) either as cannon fodder (as the nickname suggests) or as a means for their vast numbers to overwhelm the enemy through sheer numbers since shinobi usually operated in small groups of three to four people. But that was a cause for worry only if they were at least hundreds of them. Individually, they posed no real threat. Even though these version of the kara were subtly different, Akane had no trouble dealing with them via a few clean strikes with her lightning-enhanced chokutō.

 _If you don't know the weak point of an opponent, aim for the head… that always works._

Another teaching taught by her teachers at the alliance.

With the foes holding her back gone, she activated her Raiton: Chakura Mōdo to make up for the lost time. One last soldier was left, judging by the appearance, a woman. She was running in the exact direction the newly arrived soldiers came from, easing the worry in Akane a bit while she continued to close the distance in big strides. When she arrived at the spot, she immediately ran towards the machines that were trying to impale an unlucky man.

"Not on my watch, you bastards!"

She wasn't the type to be verbal during combat, but it felt oddly satisfying to quarter them into pieces in mere seconds with the chokutō. The man looked like he had a heart attack, but the Uchiha managed to calm him down with a friendly gesture. Akane helped him get off that damned device and patted his shoulder before he ran to safety, noting that she had no knowledge of the language with which he had spoken to her.

Her heroic act was totally destroyed when the same woman, who in the meantime already met up with the other two, ganged up on her. Their guns were aimed at her; she knew how fast it took for a bullet, that was why she chose _not_ to step out of her chakra mode because without it, she wouldn't be able to react quickly enough to dodge.

"Who are you and what is your business here on Eden Prime?" asked the other woman, wearing a black combat suit with an N7 insignia in a matter-of-fact voice.

 _"Oh boy… this will be amusing. I can't understand a word from what she just said,"_ she thought as she responded to the human in her own language just to appease.

 _"And they too,"_ she added when they simply shot questionable looks at each other.

* * *

Words dictionary:

Kara 殻= Husks

Taihō shiryō 大砲飼料 = Cannon fodder

Susanoo 須佐能乎 \- Is a gigantic, humanoid avatar made of the user's chakra which surrounds them and fights on their behalf. It is the strongest ability available to those who have awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan in both eyes.

Chokutō 直刀 / Straight Sword \- Is a straight, one-edged Japanese sword that was produced prior to the 9th century. Its basic style is likely derived from similar swords of ancient China. Chokutō were used on foot for stabbing or slashing and were worn hung from the waist.

Ryū no ha 龍の歯 = Dragon's teeth

* * *

Author's note: I was honestly surprised that so many favoured my story and just wanted to inform you of some things to avoid possible misunderstandings in the near future.

#1. I know that Kishimoto (the creator of Naruto) stated in the third databook that if a Sharingan user and a Byakugan user were to mate, their offspring would have one Byakugan and one Sharingan, but I think that it would be possible only if both parents (especially the Hyuga) were from the main branch, however, as I mentioned in chapter two, Akane nor Shirone manifested her Byakugan from birth, so their only option was to manifest it through training or feeling a strong emotion like Himawari did it in Boruto, but she couldn't access it ever since initial use, so her eyes turned back normal (and she is a direct descendant from the princess of the Hyuga, so her bloodline is only slightly polluted). That's where I contemplated that it is possible to deactivate Byakugan completely, so I've given this ability to Akane. And honestly, the Byakugan is totally useless (It's still cool, I agree and respect the users and techniques really; no hate; don't want to underrate it) in a galactic community where you have such advanced technology that makes up for it and basically is specialized in close combat (Gentle Fist, beside the Eight Trigrams Vacuum Wall Palm) and nobody has chakra across the whole galaxy so this fighting style is inefficient. Though for the biotics, I have special plans for them. So comment me if that theory is okay with you or if I've made a mistake somewhere.

#2. While I had plans with whom to pair Akane with (like a certain prothean), I am open to suggestions and the same goes for Jane Shepard so feel free to share with me your thoughts.


	4. The Blind Woman On The Battlefield

_„Thinking"_

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: Exodus Cluster - Utopia System - Eden Prime - Prothean dig site

Shepard POV

Jane Shepard, a war hero who almost single-handedly repelled an attack by batarian slavers on Elysium thus earning the Star of Terra - the Alliance's highest honour - though she thought of herself more than a woman of circumstances. Nihlus Kryik, one of the Citadel Council's most decorated Spectre agents was currently vouching for her as a candidate for the Spectres.

And despite all the aforementioned facts that were enough unreal as they were. 

The red-haired woman couldn't believe what she just saw. A random woman destroyed two fully armed geth in mere seconds with her _swords_. It wasn't even that, what was most shocking about it, but the fact that not even an N7 of her quality saw her coming. If somebody else had told her this, she wouldn't have believed it - not in the slightest.

She knew something was off just by looking at transmission at the SSV Normandy, but that was on another level of crazy.

_This mission has got a lot more complicated._

Had quoted Captain Anderson after watching the transmission with her and the Spectre and damn if he could say that again.

Now she was torn between her ideals and orders. The Captain told them that helping survivors was a secondary objective, but he couldn't seriously expect her to put the mission above lives. He should know her better than that.

She was a Sentinel by heart and soul, protecting others by using kinetic barriers and avenging them with her sniper or pistol if she wasn't quick enough to save them.

At least one friendly face was still around when they met up with Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, though she couldn't bite back to ask about her condition. Who knew how long she had to be alone in this mess?

"Are you wounded, Williams?" she asked in a professional tone while green eyes watched the heavy breathing soldier in front of her.

"A few scrapes and burns. Nothing serious. The others weren't so lucky. Oh, man... We were patrolling the perimeter when the attack hit." Williams began reporting the whole story behind her survival.

"We tried to get off a distress call, but they cut off our communications," she shook her head in disappointment before adding, "I've been fighting for my life ever since."

Williams' orbs flickered back to the Commander, even though Jane would rather avoid this question right now, she needed to know what awaited them and how to make sure that Kaidan wouldn't die under her command like the young Jenkins did; a loss that hit her severely but was pushed aside to proceed with the mission. She needed to push through now.

_Sometimes the face we show the world needs to be one of strength, despite the chaos we harbour beneath._

This was her motto for this kind of situation. A motto she repeatedly told herself like a believer would a prayer. It helped her handle her emotions when under distress or when her iron grip on them threatened to break.

"Where is the rest of your squad?" asked the Commander with the slightest of emotion showing on her expression.

"We tried to double back to the beacon. But we walked into an ambush. I don't think any of the others... I think I'm the only one left."

Her voice was clattered by guilt, it was something Jane could emphasize with as a Commander, so her next words were ones spoken with honesty.

„This isn't your fault Williams. The attack came like a bolt out of the blue, you couldn't have done anything to save them." _Just as she couldn't have done anything to save Jenkins._ It seemed to ease off some of the tension of the Gunnery Chief and Jane was glad to offer her the least of comfort in this situation.

„Yes, Ma'am. We held our position as long as we could. Until the geth overwhelmed us."

"The geth haven't been seen outside the Veil in nearly two hundred years." Kaidan decided it was safe for him to join in: „Why are they here now?"

„They must have come for the beacon. The dig site is close. Just over that rise. It might still be there." William gestured with her hand in the direction. The _might_ concerned the Commander more than it should at the moment and as much as she disliked the idea of putting Ashley into this position, she needed all the support she could get to withstand the enemy. The Gunnery Chief had been patrolling this area, so she could provide this mission with enough edge to be still successful.

„We could use your help, Williams." she noticed William's gaze upon asking her as if she had just waited for her to spell it out.

„Aye, aye, Ma'am. It's time for some payback," she blurted out, full of determination right after the question left the Commander's lips.

„That it is, that it is. Though what should we do about..." she pointed at the mysterious saviour of the farmer, trying to act normal in spite of how surreal her entrance had looked.

She still couldn't figure how this person was connected to all of this, well at least she had shown to be more friend than foe by helping the farmer not getting impaled by the geth.

„Commander, I think we should try to be cautious around her."

„Noted, let me do the talking," she ordered before taking out her gun and slowly approaching the woman while she dealt with the farmer, even though they didn't realise that she saw them coming long ago.

* * *

Akane stared at the trio of soldiers with wary eyes while closely examining them with her Byakugan. They looked exactly like her kind in appearance. Yet with one significant difference: they had no chakra way system, which meant that they don't have chakra altogether, although she noticed something other coursing through the nodules of their bodies while the woman in white armour didn't have it.

„ _Strange..._ " she thought, not noticing the looks the three were giving among themselves. Other than that, there was nothing wrong with the three of them, except a few minor injuries.

The woman standing in the middle, the one with the N7 insignia spoke up again in their language, trying to somehow communicate with Akane. The notion was appreciated, most people would have probably shot her right away.

„I don't understand what you're saying," Akane said as slow as she could muster while giving non-verbal communication a shot. She gestured first at her mouth and then, at her ear, in hopes that the soldier would get the message. She put her chokutō back into the sheaths on either side of her hip.

The man only shrugged while the other woman rolled her eyes lazily, though it's not like it mattered because the teen knew she had to focus her attention on the woman in the middle. After all, she seemed like their first-in-command.

Luckily for the Uchiha, the woman in question seemed to have an idea so Akane chose to throw caution to the wind and turned off her chakra mode. A risky move on her part, though it was still better than resorting to violence. Even though being a murderer, she was still a pacifist at heart. The man and other woman jumped as if hit by an electric shock when Akane dispatched the lightning which had been surrounding her. They made sure to hold their weapons in a stronger grip.

In the meantime, the Commander took off her device from her left forearm and Akane only watched curiously what the woman was doing, before handing it to her. Using the same procedure as their boss did, Akane fiddled with the thing on her left arm until she got it right.

She tried hard not to jerk out of surprise when the device lighted up, enveloping most of her arm in an orange HUD.

 _„How long have I been without technology when I get scared by a simple HUD?"_ she mentally frowned; her self-pitying thoughts interrupted by the woman's voice, though now perfectly translated into her language.

„Can you understand me?"

„Thanks to you, yes." Akane slightly bowed to openly show her gratitude.

„My name is Uchiha Akane and I was hospitalised here," she revealed only that much information, without any signs of emotions behind her voice or her expression. It was not necessary for them to know more... for now.

„I heard rumours of the docs finding someone near the dig site, Ma'am," quipped the woman next to her boss.

„May I know who you are, Ma'am?" The Uchiha changed the topic, no longer wanting to be in the middle of it.

„Lieutenant Commander Jane Shepard, Systems Alliance."

The Commander's gaze was wary but reserved. Her green eyes meeting pure white, and now that she took a closer look at the teen's eyes, wondering if Akane was blind, though wouldn't she still have a pupil? Even so, she couldn't move like _that_ without one of the most dominant senses. A question she expected Akane to answer later, now she needed to introduce Kaidan and Ashley to quickly get to the beacon.

„This is Kaidan Alenko, Systems Alliance Sentinel," she swayed her head to the right, before doing the same to her left, "and this is Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams."

„A pleasure." Akane greeted the two of them politely. It wasn't frowned upon to follow etiquette, even as a shinobi. The first impression on people was the most important one, after all.

„I wish to accompany you, Commander, if that's all right with you," requested the young Uchiha, though it was obvious by the way the Commander's face turned stern that her request was difficult to affirm. Not to mention the looks of her companions meaning: _You can't be serious, a kid?_

„Okay, but under the condition that you will follow my orders, got it?" The looks of surprise pasted on Sir Alenko's and Chief William's faces were amusing in a way, though she didn't let her show it.

„Roger that, Ma'am," Akane replied without putting much thought to it. Following orders? That she could do easily. What else had she been doing during her time at the alliance?

 _„This will be very lecturing..."_ she thought, yet she couldn't stop a small smirk from escaping her emotionless mask. Right from underneath her high collar.


	5. Knowledge Is Power

_„Thinking"_

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: Exodus Cluster - Utopia System - Eden Prime - Prothean dig site

The young Uchiha had joined Commander Shepard on her mission, even though not knowing much about it; a dangerous risk on her part, joining random people, on an unknown world without any perception of time whatsoever and to top it all off, hell was loose again.

At this point, she thought that she was the unluckiest person of all time. Death was following her wherever she went, and she was in no condition to defend herself with such a pitiful amount of chakra at disposal.

 _"Well... shit,"_ she mentally cursed at her current situation, getting behind a rock for cover.

Commander Shepard along with Sir Alenko and Chief Williams did the same while preparing for a counter-attack against another group of humanoid machines called 'Geth', which were guarding the dig site. She and the Commander's team encountered quite a number of geth from this direction, clearly indicating that they were on the right path while the machines fell one by one to the Commander's team expertise in combat. Whereas Akane herself never used anything more than one or two shurikens to get rid of them. 

She didn't have to use her chakra, saving it up for worse times, because one simply must be prepared to expect the worst when facing a Reaper or its minions. The Commander shot down geth with her sniper and then went behind cover, a basic move probably taught in the military, though the way it was executed by the Commander wasn't lost to Akane.

Swift, fluent in its movement without it affecting her accuracy. A movement conducted with great confidence.

 _"She's good."_ Akane duly noted as she kept one eye at her provisional ally, remembering her moves in case she would have to engage in combat against her. The same counted for the other two.

"This is the dig site. The beacon was right here. It must have been moved," Chief Williams shook her head in frustration, until Sir Alenko added, "By who? Our side? Or the geth?"

Akane kept quiet during their talk, gathering as much information as possible to get a grasp of what she had gotten herself into this time.

 _"A beacon, huh?"_ she activated her Byakugan to see if there is anything like it in the distance, not like she knew what it looked like in the first place. Her sight caught the image of a few geth troops and...

_What the fuck is that?!_

The chatter between the two fell deaf on her ears because she was currently captivated by the one thing only she was capable of seeing. An alien. She had never seen anything like it before. It resembled a humanoid bird, though with avian features.

Should she tell the others? No, it would raise unneeded questions and make her look even more suspicious. These humans didn't share the same abilities her kind once had and she was sure that they would question her about them as soon as their mission was accomplished. 

"Akane, was it? Come on! We have no time to waste!" Shepard broke Akane out of her mussing, earning an apology from the young Uchiha, before Akane ran after them up to the ramps, already hearing the sounds of fighting. By the time Akane caught up to them at the research camp, they had taken care of a few kara around, horrified at the act of the geth on their own people.

_"They haven't fought the kara yet!"_

Unfortunately for Akane, she had more than a simple experience regarding that matter, but it would be dangerous for her to reveal such crucial information to them at the moment. They might suspect she was an enemy spy for knowing about it so much and besides, something like that couldn't be put into the wrong hands or it would cause more harm than good.

In the meantime, Sir Alenko overrode a difficult lock on one of the still intact sheds in the research camps, where two humans had been hiding from the geth. Though one of them was Akane strangely familiar with, so she entered the shed too.

"Humans! Thank the Maker!" The red-head female doctor wriggled with her hands nervously.

"Hurry! Close the door! Before they come back!" The other one shouted out in distress.

"Don't worry. We'll protect you." Commander Shepard spoke up to calm them both down, earning a deep sight from the doc on her left.

"Thank you. I think we'll be okay now. It looks like everyone's gone," her gaze fell on Akane and her eyes went wide when she recognized the Uchiha, "no, wait! You're the one I found unconscious at the dig site three days ago!"

All eyes were trained on Akane now and she retorted with a solemn nod, before the doc added, "When the geth hit, I feared you were killed like the rest of us. I am glad you survived."

"You're Dr Warren, the one in charge of the excavation. Do you know what happened to the beacon?" Chief Williams got back to the main topic for what Akane was extremely thankful.

"It was moved to the spaceport this morning. Manuel and I stayed behind to help pack up the camp." The doc responded while Akane sighed in relief, knowing that the change of topic worked.

"When the attack came, the marines held them off long enough for us to hide. They gave their lives to save us." The doc sighed deeply, thinking back on the marine's sacrifice.

"No one is saved. The age of humanity has ended. Soon, only ruin and corpses will remain." The one Dr Warren introduced as Dr Manuel, decided to join the conversation, his voice quivering in fear.

The others decided it was safe to ignore his comment and questioned Dr Warren about it all since in their eyes, she seemed to be the still sane one out of the two, though Akane couldn't help but think about the last part Dr Warren said: _Soon, only ruins and corpses will remain._

It reminded her of what happened to her people when the Reapers came. The war with them left nothing but destruction in their wake. The Reaper's very first attack managed to reduce the numbers of their population by more than a half and what came after that, was even worse. Akane shuddered at the memory involuntarily. Was it potential that he was foretelling the arrival of the Reapers?

"What else can you tell me about the attack?" The Commander asked, turning her attention back at Dr Warren.

"It all happened so fast. One second we were gathering up our equipment. The next we were hiding in the shed while the geth swarmed over the camp." Dr Warren shook her head, not believing what had occurred herself.

"Agents of the destroyers. Bringers of darkness. Heralds of our extinction." Dr Manuel fretted, giving him nothing more than a quick glance before Dr Warren continued, "We could hear the battle outside. Gunfire. Screams. I thought it would never end. Then, everything went quiet. We just sat there, too afraid to move. Until you came along."

The next choice of words from Commander Shepard caught Akane's interest, "Did you notice a turian in the area?"

"I saw him! The prophet. Leader of the enemy. He was here, before the attack." Dr Manuel cut right in.

"That's impossible. Nihlus was with us on the Normandy before the attack. He couldn't have been here." Sir Alenko objected.

"I'm sorry. Manuel's still a bit... unsettled. We haven't seen your turian. We've been hiding in here since the attack." The doc shot a quick glance at her partner, apologizing on his behalf.

If Akane understood it correctly and put all the pieces of information she had gathered together, the alien she had seen earlier was a turian and he or she was the leader of the geth but still someone the Commander had no knowledge about. Plus there was still the other turian named Nihlus, who was most likely one of the Commander's allies.

"Can you tell me anything about the beacon?" Commander Shepard continued.

"It's some type of data module from a galaxy-wide communications network. Remarkably well-preserved. It could be the greatest scientific discovery of our lifetime!" The doc exclaimed, "Miraculous new technologies. Groundbreaking medical advances. Who knows what secrets are locked inside?"

"We have unearthed the heart of evil. Awakened the beast. Unleashed the darkness." Dr Manuel appended, receiving a glare from Chief Williams who looked like she was moments away from rendering the man unconscious. Dr Warren noticed the Chief's glare and intervened before it was too late.

"Manuel! Please! This isn't the time."

"Williams, take us to the spaceport." The Commander ordered, noting that they wouldn't get anything useful out of the docs. The group was exiting the shed when Dr Manuel squeaked, but only Akane was left to hear it, "You can't stop it. Nobody can stop it. The night is falling. The darkness of eternity."

"Hush, Manuel. Go lie down. You'll feel better once the medication kicks in." Akane gave him a look of understanding, before attempting to leave too only to stop at the doorstep. There had been one question she wanted to ask Dr Warren in private.

"What happened to the other one you found at the dig site, if I may ask?" Akane spoke softly. Dr Warren wasn't expecting the question as she helped Dr Manuel lie down, but quickly collected herself to answer, "We buried her among the other anonym individuals on Eden Prime's graveyard."

Akane looked up at the sky, her expression remaining impassive when she gave the doc a meek vote of thanks, and then went sprinting after the Commander.


	6. A Selfless Act Of A Murderer

_„Thinking"_

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: Exodus Cluster - Utopia System - Eden Prime - Prothean dig site

They'd been slowed down by a smaller amount of enemies than Akane expected on their way to the beacon. Well, that lucky streak came to a stoppage when they reached the spaceport, over which the capital ship loomed.

„What is that? Off in the distance." Sir Alenko asked confused, starring at the giant dreadnaught he had never ever seen before.

„It's a ship. Look at the size of it!" Chief Williams exclaimed the obvious, though the female Uchiha understood from where this was coming from. The Commander alone stayed silent at the display.

Not that she had the chance to react because once they sat foot remotely near the spaceport, the enemy became aware of their presence and engaged in combat. There were geth units with enough cover while the kara were running freely around, occupying their squad in both long-range and close-range combat. It was troublesome, but still not enough to seriously endanger the squad.

The three armed soldiers used their guns and unique abilities, which Akane wasn't able to identify, to hold the geth in the distance at bay while Akane secured their backs by destroying the kara that managed to pass through the crossfire. It took longer than most of their battles, but they were the ones who emerged victorious at the end of it.

After a short chat with some farmers who too, had fled to a nearby shed as Dr Warren and Dr Manuel did, they moved further ahead only to stop at the corpse of Nihlus. The Commander wanted to inspect the body, but was warned of another presence hiding behind a bunch of crates by Chief Williams, „Something's moving! Over behind those crates!"

„Wait! Don't—Don't shoot! I'm one of you! I'm human." The worker jumped out of cover to reassure them.

„That must be Powell," Akane noted in a cool voice, reminiscing a part of talk Commander Shepard had with Powell's partner in crime Cole; the one who gave the pistol to the Commander which Akane was now equipped with, after a display of impressive persuasion skills on the Commander's behalf.

„Sneaking up on us like that nearly got you killed!" The Commander scolded the man, lowering the gun.

„I am sorry. I was hiding. From those creatures, but I saw what happened to that turian. The other one shot him." The Commander's features softened a bit so Powell wouldn't fret under it.

„I need to know how Nihlus died."

"The other one got here first. He was waiting when your friend showed up. He called him Saren. I think they knew each other." Powell scratched his head, Akane knew very well where this was going.

„Your friend seemed to relax. He let his guard down... and Saren killed him. Shot him right in the back. I'm just lucky he didn't see me behind the crates." Powell finished, confirming Akane's line of thought.

 _„So a betrayal, huh... would explain the wound on the back of Nihlus' head though, and why there are no traces of battle."_ Akane deduced.

„Where did Saren go after he killed Nihlus?"

„He jumped on the cargo train and headed over to the other platform. Probably going after the beacon." Powell pointed in the direction to his right. „I knew that beacon was trouble. Everything's gone to hell since we found it. First, that damn mother ship showed up. Then the attack." He leant on the crate in front of him, complaining about the situation.

„They killed everyone. Everyone! If I hadn't been behind the crates I'd be dead, too!" The worker confessed with a tremulous voice.

„How come you're the only one who survived? Why didn't anyone else try to hide behind the crates?" That was a question even Akane was most curious about.

„They never had a chance. I... I was already behind the crates when the attack started." The farmer stuttered.

„Wait a minute. You were hiding behind the crates before the attack?" Sir Alenko inquired.

„I... sometimes I need a nap to get through my shift. I sneak off behind the crates to grab forty winks where the supervisor can't find me." Powell confessed, much to the disgust of Sir Alenko and the Chief.

„You survived because you're lazy?" accused the Chief, hardly believing it herself how damn lucky that farmer was.

„If you hadn't snuck off for that nap you'd probably be dead just like all the others," reacted the Commander.

„Yeah. Yeah, I guess. I don't really want to think about it." He averted his eyes in shame.

„You're Cole's contact here on the docks. For the smuggling ring." Akane wondered for a moment when the Commander was going to address that.

„What? No! I mean... what does it matter now? So I'm a smuggler? Who cares? My supervisor's dead. The entire crew's dead. It doesn't matter now, does it?" Powell answered sadly. Akane felt a pang of empathy for the man, though her apathetic mask didn't let any of it to the surface.

„ _Old habits die hard._ " she thought as she wore an emotionless expression, though she always had a soft spot for Shirone if she had to admit.

Something Chief Williams was extremely bad at when she lashed out some curses at Powell who owned up to have stolen a few grenades from the military orders. She clearly wasn't any good at keeping her emotions at bay. Thank goodness that the Commander resolved the situation by demanding from the smuggler to hand over the grenades before Chief Williams managed to beat Powell to a pulp.

They ran towards the cargo train, being approached by more and more geth the further they proceeded. In fact, Akane had to use the pistol (her stock of shurikens was quickly defecated), since launching into the heated gunfire without her Sharingan or Raiton: Chakura Mōdo would mean certain death. Cursing when her shots were inaccurate. It didn't happen often that the Uchiha was next to useless during the battle, and man how she hated the feeling.

A shinobi wasn't trained to handle guns, rather other weapons Akane was exceptionally proficient at. If she had her Sharingan at her disposal, she would have copied the Commander's style. Well, too bad for her that she had not enough chakra even after conserving a bit of it.

Wounded but still in one piece, even after a few geth destroyers launched some explosive missiles at the squad, they reached the cargo train whereas they set off to the beacon. Nothing serious a medical jutsu couldn't heal, though they used something called 'medi-gel'. She took the short pause to take a look at the situation with her Byakugan.

She saw Saren giving out orders to the geth units before approaching a strange construction that must have been the beacon everyone was talking about. It had a strange chakra - no aura - to it and Saren stood closely in front of it as if waiting for something. What happened next raised more than just simple concern in Akane, he was being raised up in the air by the beacon's aura.

" _No way..._ "

If things hadn't been already at their worst, then Akane wasn't surprised anymore when the geth deployed bombs strategically across the spaceport. This was no longer something Akane could keep to herself or it would endanger the colony, or whatever this was, and with it the humans that lived here.

Screw her precaution. Screw everything at this point on, she may be nothing more than a selfish, arrogant woman who murdered her own family and innocent people, but that person died the moment Shirone drew her last breath. She won't let others die for her selfish reasons.

"Ma'am, the geth have planted four bombs around the spaceport, I can pinpoint their exact location," Akane informed the Commander with seriousness none of the soldiers expected.

"How do you-"

"I can explain later, you have to trust me!" The young Uchiha insisted as they arrived at the spaceport and were met by heavy geth resistance.

Fortunately for them, the first bomb was closely nearby so they saw that Akane was indeed telling the truth.

"She is right! These are demolition charges! We need to shut them down!" Sir Alenko walked up to one of it and began disarming it while the others drew the attention of the geth at themselves.

And this was how they had done it with the remaining three bombs until they banned the danger but in exchange for Saren's disappearance. Though there were met by a pleasant surprise when they found out that he hadn't taken the beacon with him.

 _"Why hasn't he taken the beacon with him?"_ Akane thought as she and the others approached the beacon, killing any geth left around.

"Normandy, the beacon is secure. Request immediate evac." ordered the Commander through the commlink. Loosening up a bit, Akane watched as the Commander communicated with what was probably the pilot of the ship.

"Roger, Normandy. Stand by."

They were careless, and Akane, worn out from the fighting hadn't noticed how dangerously close Sir Alenko came to the beacon. Knowing what effect it could cause on a person from seeing it first-hand in Saren's case, she cried out, "Don't go near it!"

But it was too late; the beacon already used its aura to pull Sir Alenko towards it. Akane ran over to the male soldier and pulled him with chakra-enhanced strength out of the gravitational field of the beacon, using her last saved up chakra to save him, though now left with no chance to escape for herself.

She felt the gravitational pull grow stronger, although she still felt to be pulled into the opposite direction by no other than Commander Shepard. She held Akane by her hand, refusing to let her go, but failing when Akane lost footing, ending up in the same position as Saren. That was when both of their minds were invaded by the beacon.


	7. A Battle Over Body And Mind

_„Thinking"_

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: Unknown

Time: Unknown

 _„Is this a genjutsu?!"_ she thought whilst her mind was being swarmed by images of death, destruction and at last, the annihilation of different races by the Reapers which had long been forgotten, but her kind was not among them.

It felt as if it was some sort of genjutsu, even though the chances were odd. All her senses fell victim to the beacon's influence.

She saw their last moments.

She heard their screams of agony.

She smelled the rotten flesh of the corpses of fallen soldiers across the battlefield.

She tasted the blood dripping from their wounds, she touched the surfaces of their homeworlds.

She felt their pain as if it was her own.

Hadn't she witnessed the complete downfall of her kind, she would have had a broken mind by now from the enormous income of information; sensations that didn't belong to her, but became a part of her.

With her perception of time altered, the beacon subjected her mind to countless repetitions of one and the same vision until Akane was sure it had been branded into her brain for all eternity. She was losing her own self in those visions, not being able to draw the line between illusion and reality anymore. She wasn't sure if by luck or some divine intervention, but somehow she was able to break free out of the beacon's hold over her. The experience had worn out her psyche to such an extent, that her mind chose to shut itself down immediately after regaining control over her body.

* * *

Location: SSV Normandy SR-1 - Second Deck - Med-bay

Time: 15 hours after the retrieval of the prothean beacon

Shepard POV

„Doctor? Doctor Chakwas? I think she's waking up." Shepard heard Kaidan vaguely speaking from somewhere near. She blinked rapidly several times to adjust to the artificial light her sight was met with, then slowly pushed herself into a sitting position.

God! How her head hurt only by the simple movement. Her body felt sore, but nothing she couldn't handle.

„You had us worried there, Shepard. How are you feeling?" The grey-haired doc asked in a silvery tone.

Honestly, she felt like her brain was left in the microwave for too long and her head was about to explode. Her eyes seemed to sting if they took in more light than normal and her throat was dry as a desert. So, she went along with a simple 'Nothing serious.' Dr Chakwas raised a brow at Shepard, obvious to her lying.

The aged woman chose to let it be with a shake of the head, „While I am glad to hear that at least one of my patients is faring well, though the same can't be said about your mysterious ally over there." The doc watched Akane's trembling form behind Commander Shepard, testing if Shepard's memory was still intact.

 _The kid!_ She turned around to see what had happened to the girl. Hell, she didn't know if she could call her one after the ordeal they went through, even though she much looked like one. Her behaviour, her actions, spoke otherwise. Jane was observing her carefully throughout their mission on Eden Prime. For one because she was still a kid and the situation was way too dangerous to let her roam freely. For second because Jane was dead sure that the girl wasn't just something ordinary to begin with.

A kid her age should have been paralysed by fear from the attack, by the horrors that the geth orchestrated. God, it had made even Jane sick to look at, yet nothing of what she expected showed on Akane's face, who seemed somewhat used to it. She knew the moment she first saw her face; it was emotionless, expressionless like a doll and her gaze was as dead as was the tone of her voice. This had been proof enough that this wasn't a look that belonged to mere kid anymore, so Shepard wouldn't treat her like one.

„How long was I out?" Jane asked, still holding her gaze at the shaking Akane.

„About fifteen hours. Something happened down there with the beacon, I think."

„It's my fault. I must have triggered some kind of security field when I approached it and the kid had to push me out of the way." He crossed his arm over his chest, watching Akane's chest rise with ragged breaths.

„You had no way to know what would happen, as did I. Akane was first to act, and I am just as guilty as you," Jane assured him, even if it didn't sound that comforting, one of the corners of his lips turned upwards.

„Actually, we don't even know if that's what set it off. Unfortunately, we'll never get the chance to find out." Dr Chakwas added and Kaidan was to confirm, „The beacon exploded. A system overload, maybe. The blast knocked you and Akane cold. Williams and I had to carry you back here to the ship."

„I appreciate it." Jane thanked.

„Physically, you're fine. But I detected some unusual brain activity, abnormal beta waves." Chakwas stated, not that Jane understood a third of what that doctor told her.

 _„Would explain the annoying throbbing in my head,"_ Jane affirmed.

„I also noticed an increase in your rapid eye movement, signs typically associated with intense dreaming." The older woman continued, making Jane remember what the beacon sort of transmitted into her brain. It was more like a nightmare, even so, she was partly glad that these weren't any clear images, just fragments.

At some point, she wondered if Akane was seeing the same images that she had seen. Judging by the way she looked while 'dreaming' about now, Jane knew she wasn't far from the truth.

„How is Akane holding up?"

„I am afraid to say that she is in dire need of medical attention. The side effects from interacting with the beacon have hit her the hardest. While you were suffering from minor hyperthermia, in other words, fever. Akane suffers from hyperpyrexia; a state where the core body temperature extremely elevates up to 40.0 or 41.5 °C. Such high temperature is considered a medical emergency, one the Normandy's med-bay can't provide, so we will have to give her into intensive care at the Huerta Memorial Hospital. Needless to say, that was only half of the portion Akane is going through right now." Dr Chakwas explained to both the Commander and Kaidan while walking up to the restrained Uchiha.

She scanned her through again with her omni-tool, before further talking about Akane's condition, „She shows the same symptoms you showed but to a higher extent. Alternating beta waves, frequent spasms, heavy sweating, rapid breathing, fast or weak pulse, even when she remains in comatose." Chakwas summed up.

„I added this to my- Oh, Captain Anderson." Dr Chakwas noticed the Captian of the Normandy enter the med-bay.

„How's our XO holding up, Doctor?" The three of them straightened up when the commanding voice hit their ears.

„All the readings look normal. I'd say the Commander's going to be fine." Dr Chakwas responded as she usually did.

„Glad to hear it. Shepard, I need to speak with you - in private." Captain Anderson turned to fully face Shepard. A signal for Kaidan to leave the med-bay together with the doc.

„Sounds like the beacon hit you pretty hard, Commander. You sure you're okay?" Jane looked straight into his eyes. Captain Anderson was always an honourable man in her eyes and someone whose opinion and respect she valued more than anything. In his presence, she always got the feeling that she could ease up and stop pretend for once. Almost like a father she never had.

„I don't like soldiers dying under my command." Jane softly confessed, seeing the Captain also ease up a little. In the end, she was human after all. And he, too.

„Jenkins wasn't your fault. You did a good job, Shepard." The brown-skinned man praised her. Jane typically didn't like it when she was being praised, but hearing it from him was an exception. She hoped that her words of encouragement helped Kaidan the same way earlier.

„Intel dropped the ball, Sir. We had no idea what we are walking into down there. That's why things went to hell." Jane knew how missions could turn into a mess, she was a trained N7, but the young Jenkins wasn't. It pissed her off more than it should and it was recognizable in her voice.

„The geth haven't been outside the Veil in two centuries, Commander. Nobody could have predicted this." He was right, fighting against the geth was the last someone would expect on the large list, but still, she felt responsible for Jenkins' death; like she could have done more.

„Did we leave Gunnery Chief Williams back on Eden Prime?" Jane returned to a more pleasant question that had been bothering her ever since she woke up in the med-bay.

„I figured we could use a soldier like her. She's been reassigned to the Normandy." Captain Anderson responded in kind.

„Williams is a good soldier. She deserves it." Jane admitted without hesitation because it was the truth. She had proven herself during their mission on Eden Prime and Jane had hoped that it would be better for her to get away from Eden Prime for some time. She knew what it felt like to lose soldiers under her command, but a whole unit would have weighed her down immensely.

„Lieutenant Alenko agrees with you. That's why I added her to our crew." Anderson added, making a small smile spread across the Commander's face. Sometimes she thought this man could read her mind, and most of the time she was glad for it.

„You said you needed to see me in private, Captain?" The short heart-to-heart chat was exhilarating and very much appreciated, but they had more important manners to attend to.

„I won't lie to you, Shepard. Things look bad. Nihlus is dead. The beacon was destroyed and geth are invading. The Council's going to want answers." The flat sound returned to his voice and he folded his arms behind his back.

„I didn't do anything wrong, Captain. Hopefully, the Council can see that." Jane replied.

„I'll stand behind you and your report, Shepard. You're a damned hero in my books. That's not why I'm here. It's Saren, that other turian." He averted his gaze for a moment, before returning it to Shepard.

„Saren's a spectre, one of the best. A living legend. But if he's working with the geth, it means he's gone rogue. A rogue Spectre is trouble. Saren's dangerous. And he hates humans." To Jane, it sounded as if the Captain spoke from experience, but chose not to dive deeper into the topic.

„He didn't come to Eden Prime because he hates humans," Shepard concluded, though she very well knew that Saren will use his Spectre status to cover it up and pretend to be the victim of it all if they go in front of the Council.

„You're right. Saren has allied himself with the geth. I don't know how. I don't know why. But it had something to do with the beacon." he commented.

„You were there just before the beacon self-destructed. Did you see anything? Any clue that might tell us what Saren was after?" he asked, knowing full well that Jane had something that they could use as proof. She leant back against the edge of the bed she had slept on, telling the Captain about those strange images she had 'dreamt' about.

„Just before I lost consciousness, I had some kind of vision." Captain Anderson stepped closer to Shepard.

„A vision? A vision of what?" he pushed for more details and Jane tried her best to make at least a bit of sense of this vision.

„I saw synthetics. Geth, maybe. Slaughtering people. Butchering them." she looked down at the ground to stop herself from the dizziness that claimed her for a second.

„We need to report this to the Council, Shepard." He replied and she managed to hold back a scoff at the thought before replying, „What are we going to tell them? I had a bad dream?"

She felt ridiculous, but she knew she was safe with confessing it to Anderson, that he wouldn't think her crazy, but that didn't mean she would receive the same reaction from the rest of the galaxy, much less the Council.

„We don't know what information was stored in that beacon. Lost prothean technology? Blueprints for some ancient weapon of mass destruction? Whatever it was, Saren took it. But I know Saren. I know his reputation, his politics. He believes humans are a blight on the galaxy. This attack was an act of war!" he concluded through his experience with the turian. Shepard knew he told the truth, he always did, but they would need to be careful if they want to bring him down, both politically and physically.

„He has the secrets from the beacon. He has an army of geth in his command. And he won't stop until he's wiped out humanity from the face of the galaxy." The Captain stated with certainty.

„In my opinion, it's too soon to be sure of Saren's true intentions, but If that's what you say it's true, then I'll find a way to take him down," she promised in return.

„It's not that easy. He's a Spectre. He can go anywhere, do almost anything. That's why we need the Council on our side."

„We prove Saren's gone rogue and the Council will revoke his Spectre status." Jane declared, if Saren's about to continue on the path he had chosen, then Jane would make sure to stop him, but by doing it the right way.

„I will contact the ambassador and see if he can get us an audience with the Council. He'll want to see us as soon as we reach the Citadel. We should be getting close. Head up to the bridge and tell Joker to bring us in to dock." he ordered before departing from the med-bay.

Shepard watched Akane for a moment before calling Dr Chakwas back to the med-bay, it was her 'territory' after all. She wanted to divert Captain Anderson's attention from the kid. She owed her that much for saving Kaidan's life probably and mostly because she didn't like to talk behind people's back.

„If I may ask of favour, please watch over Akane." Jane didn't say it as an order, and it wasn't meant as one.

„You needn't do that, dear. I won't abandon my patient so easily." she chuckled as the Commander also left the med-bay, heading towards her pod.


	8. Plans For An Escape

_„Thinking"_

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: Serpent Nebula - Widow - Citadel – Presidium - Huerta Memorial Hospital

She woke up to the pungent smell of hospital disinfect invading her nostrils. The room was silent apart from her heavy breathing and the beep-beep sound that could often be heard in hospitals that indicated one was still alive.

She slowly opened her eyes, squinting in an attempt to sharpen the blurred images before her. Akane glanced around and took in the deserted, blue and white colour schemed hospital bedroom. How long had she been here? She shut her eyes, trying to remember what had exactly happened. Then it all hit her with a bang. The memory of it all began to occupy her thoughts.

Heaven above, it felt like ages, as if she had experienced a lifetime in her mind, but only hours passed in the real world.

The stark smell of bleach was overwhelming. Akane scrunched her eyes at the bright light that was sipping through her closed eyelids. She felt powerless and heavy; she could not move her hand, head or body.

The Uchiha couldn't remember how she got here but she knew for sure that she wanted out as soon as possible. Preferably right now- No. Accepting, and not to mention processing, everything the beacon had passed onto her was too much too quickly and it nearly tore apart her consciousness. With great effort and perhaps luck, she managed to sew the pieces back, but it was still a tiring process. She ought to rest for now.

She looked out of the window on her left, feeling her eyelids grow heavier each second, then fell close. The first she had gotten in a long time.

* * *

Location: Serpent Nebula - Widow - Citadel – Presidium – Human Embassy

Shepard POV

„This is an outrage! The Council would step in if the geth attacked a turian colony!" Ambassador Udina ranted at the three holographic postures in front of him and Shepard was sure that his voice was so loud that no one in the Presidium needed to eavesdrop to know what this was all about. Even if Jane didn't like Udina as a person or his way of doing things, she had to agree with him on that one.

Donnel Udina – Jane knew of him, although having never officially met him before. He took over the position of Humanity's ambassador to the Council races from Anita Goyle, an impressing feat, she had to admit, even if she wasn't into politics that much.

„The turians don't found colonies on the borders of the Terminus Systems, Ambassador." The salarian Councilor replied, not wavering by an inch from Udina's accusations.

 _„It's not like we had much of a choice."_ Shepard gripped the railing of the balcony, she didn't dislike other races nor did she feel resentment towards them, but this aura of superiority she was getting off the Council set her off to an immeasurable extent. Just because they were longer around than the humans didn't give them the right to scold Humanity's decisions.

„Humanity was well aware of the risks when you went into the Traverse." This time, the asari Councilor added her two cents, supporting Councilor Valern with her statement.

 _„Of the batarians of course, but not of the geth!"_ Jane bit her lip, disgusted how Councilor Tevos made it sound so insignificant. People died down there, experienced horrors that the Councilor couldn't even dream of and she blamed it all on the humans. Heaven above, that's why she hated politics.

„What about Saren? You can't just ignore a rogue Spectre. I demand action!" Udina shifted the conversation elsewhere.

„You don't get to make demands of the Council, Ambassador." The turian Councilor bit back.

„Citadel Security is investigating your charges against Saren. We will discuss the C-Sec findings at the hearing. Not before." Councilor Tevos intervened before this could break out into a heated conversation between Ambassador Udina and Councilor Sparatus, successfully breaking off contact.

The human diplomat sighed, letting everybody in the room know how displeased he was with the outcome, then walked up to Captain Anderson and Shepard's team; consisting of Kaidan and Williams.

„Captain Anderson, I see you brought half of your crew with you."

„Just the ground team from Eden Prime. In case you had any questions." Anderson responded before Jane joined the Captain's side, dispatching herself off the railing.

„I have the mission reports. I assume they're accurate?"

„They are. Sounds like you convinced the Council to give us an audience." Anderson tried to cheer him up a bit.

„They were not happy about it. Saren's their top agent. They don't like him being accused of treason." Udina stated, which made Jane frown.

„Saren' a threat to every race out there, he won't stop with the humans. He needs to be stopped. The Council has to listen to us." Shepard exclaimed.

„Settle down, Commander. You've already done more than enough to jeopardize your candidacy for the Spectres." Udina let his sour mood out on Shepard, accusing her of nearly wasting the only chance Humanity might get a human in the ranks of a Spectre, which made Jane bit the inner walls of her mouth.

„The mission on Eden Prime was a chance to prove you could get the job done. Instead, Nihlus ended up dead and the beacon was destroyed!" Udina continued and Jane swore she would have punched the man in the face for a moment, but had enough self-restraint to remain cool.

„That's Saren's fault, not hers!" Anderson stuck up for Shepard.

„Then, we better hope the C-Sec investigation turns up evidence to support our accusations. Otherwise, the Council might use this as an excuse to keep you out of the Spectres." The ambassador folded his arm behind his back.

Exchanging last looks with Shepard before he spoke to Anderson, „Come with me, Captain. I want to go over a few things before the hearing. Shepard – you and the others can meet us at the Citadel Tower. Top level. I'll make sure you have clearance to get in." And with that, the Captain and ambassador made their way out of the embassy.

„And that's why I hate politicians," Williams quipped when they were out of earshot. Shepard couldn't agree more.

* * *

Location: Serpent Nebula - Widow - Citadel – Presidium - Huerta Memorial Hospital

Akane feigned to be still in comatose so the doctors wouldn't start to ask her questions about her identity or anything related to her at all. Questions she had no intention of answering to anyone anytime soon. In this fragile state, bound to the bed, she had to be patient and regain her strength. Her chakra was almost back to normal, and she was capable to activate the Sharingan in her right eye, which was mostly hidden by the shoulder-length bangs of her hair.

Whenever that one particular human nurse came into her room to check up on her, she cast the generic genjutsu of her Sharingan on her to suggest her false information about her medical condition and to spread this information to the doctors whenever they asked. While she didn't want to forcibly take control over her, she kept her influence subtle so the nurse or staff wouldn't notice, yet couldn't refrain from prying into the nurse's mind for additional information.

She had learned quite a lot from the nurse's memory and while she knew that most likely everything she discovered about this world was true, it required a more universal source to convince her. She had come up with an escape plan, a decent one for a change. However, she had to wait a little while longer, waiting for the lights illuminating the Citadel to dim.

* * *

Location: Serpent Nebula - Widow - Citadel – Presidium – Citadel Tower

Shepard and her team just made their way up to the top level of the Citadel Tower, prepared to meet the Council, when she caught glimpse of Executor Pallin arguing with one of his officers.

„Saren's hiding something! Give me more time. Stall them." The turian on the left demanded.

„Stall the Council? Don't be ridiculous! Your investigation is over, Garrus." Pallin snorted before taking his leave. The turian whom Pallin called Garrus, recognized Shepard's presence right off the bat and turned to greet her, „Commander Shepard? Garrus Vakarian. I was the officer in charge of the C-Sec investigation into Saren.

„Sounds like you really want to bring him down," she stated, waiting to see how he would react.

He folded his three-fingered hands in front of him, „I don't trust him. Something about him rubs me the wrong way. But he's a Spectre, everything he touches is classified. I can't find any hard evidence." Jane had expected as much, she knew that it wouldn't be easy, but maybe with Garrus's help, they could achieve better results.

„I think the Council's ready for us, Commander." Kaidan reminded. Shepard made a mental note to seek the Garrus out for help if the meeting with the Council turned out badly, which was likely the case with the lack of valid proof regarding Saren's involvement in the geth attack on the human colony.

„Good luck, Shepard. Maybe they'll listen to you."

„Appreciated, see you around, Garrus." She walked past the turian officer to meet up with Captain Anderson who had been waiting on her in front of the staircase that led to the Council.

„The hearing's already started. Come one." Shepard took a deep breath, following the Captain to the meeting.

_Here goes nothing._

About half an hour later...

To claim the meeting went in their favour would have been a lie; the Council refused to help Shepard and C-Sec cancelled further investigation, so Shepard chose to take matters into her own hands and investigate. However, she still needed a place to start; a lead.

Udina advised Shepard to meet up with one of his contact in Chora's Den. Anderson wasn't very fond of Udina's contact at C-Sec, but let his personal judgment aside and stepped off the investigation in hopes to not make it for Shepard more complicated than it already was.

Before she could run off investigating, Captain Anderson gave her something of a lead if Udina's lead wouldn't get her anything. Barla Von – an information dealer at the Presidium. Well, everything was worth a try. For a moment, Jane wondered how Akane was doing, though how should one feel when in comatose. Still, she hoped the child was more fortunate than they were.

* * *

Words dictionary:

Genjutsu: Sharingan 幻術・写輪眼 \- It broadly refers to a range of genjutsu performed with the Sharingan. By establishing eye contact with a target, the Sharingan user traps them within a genjutsu which can be exploited for one of the various purposes, such as: causing instantaneous — but temporary — loss of consciousness or paralysis in the target, forceful extraction of information, relaying memories, removing genjutsu placed on the target by others, and controlling a target's actions.


	9. Investigator Shepard On Duty

_„Thinking"_

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: Serpent Nebula - Widow - Citadel – Presidium - Sha'ira's

Shepard POV

Shepard hadn't even started her investigation properly and things already got awkward.

The moment she thought it would be good to visit famed Sha'ira the Consort. Nelyna – one of the Consort's 'acolytes', gave her more insight into Sha'ira's services. Jane was already creeped out by the blueish-purple asari's made-up smile. Don't get her wrong, she freely admitted that all asari were fairly attractive with their various skin colouration and other feminine features. Of course, she was well aware that not all asari were the same. Not fair to put them all into one bag, right?

Despite that, since speaking with Nelyna her instincts warned her of danger but a different sort of. Not like the one you get while in combat. Sha'ira's was like a siren's nest, acolytes luring with their unique abilities or irresistible beauty and the Consort 'answering her clients' needs' thing. At least they're not 'luring' their clients into their doom. Or maybe Jane was just being paranoid again.

"Huh. It appears the Consort has taken notice of you. She'd like to meet you now." Nelyna announced with mild amazement.

 _"Wow... that was quick."_ Shepard raised her eyebrows at Nelyna, she hadn't even gotten to make an appointment, which meant the Consort wanted something from her.

"Where do I go?"

"Just head upstairs. She will be waiting for you." Nelyna answered with that smile plastered on her unblemished face. So that's where Jane and the rest went with her and before they knew it, Jane approached Sha'ira in her room.

"That's close enough, Commander," she suggested, her back turned to Jane. "I've heard a great many things about you since your arrival here on our Citadel."

"You wanted to speak to me?" Shepard cut through the redundant chit-chat and got straight to the point.

She turned around, glossy lips speaking in an elegant manner, "I have a certain problem that could use your expertise."

Shepard reconsidered but indicated for her to continue, "I have a friend, a retired turian general. I won't discuss the details, but he wanted me to be more than I could be. We had a falling out. Now he spends his days in Chora's Den drinking and spreading lies about me," she closed in the distance she had set seconds ago and Jane resisted the urge to take a step backwards.

"If you would speak to him as a fellow soldier, I believe he will listen to you and let the matter be." she moved her arm out to faintly cup Shepard's cheek, and as her tender touch connected with her hide, she tensed up a little, good thing the touch lasted seconds.

"What exactly do you want me to tell him?" Sha'ira's arm dropped.

"Appeal to his sense of honour. Remind him of his position as a general." Shepard completely froze when she snuggled her head against hers as if they were lovers. Hell no! Way too intimate.

 _"It seems asari suffer from the ignore-of-personal-space syndrome."_ Shepard thought as a strong urge to shove the Consort as far as she could muster tempted her.

"If you can convince him to stop spreading lies about me, I would be very grateful." The Consort backed off in time.

"Now I must ask you to leave. I have many clients waiting to see me." She bid them farewell, but Shepard and her team were already putting as much distance between them and this place.

"Let's get the hell out of here." The urgency in which Shepard said it made both Kaidan and Williams grin like idiots, "I've had enough of asari for one day," Shepard grumbled, hopeful that no one heard that.

* * *

Location: Serpent Nebula - Widow - Citadel – Presidium – Huerta Memorial Hospital

The time had come for Akane to realize her escape from the hospital. She thought through her escape routes, how the surveillance systems monitoring each room functioned and how the other patients were at it. She observed everything around her these past two days with the sight the Byakugan offered her.

She shifted in her bed a bit, waiting for the nurse, which was appointed to her, for her last visit. She had created a Kage Bunshin who was hiding in a blind spot, waiting to temporarily shut down the camera with an input of lightning release. All the bright airiness of the day faded, darkness fell over it like a velvet blanket and all that was left was the low emergency lighting that threw long light beams across the polished floor, reflecting on some of the cabinets.

There was not even a breeze to disrupt the paper pamphlets that have been stacked up on the side, but the slightest breath of movement momentarily blocked the light, swirling mist with soft blurred edges seeped through the pores in the wall. It was the sort of movement that'd be seen on the peripherals of vision, the kind that bred rumours of monsters lurking in the dark, dragging the shadows with them like coattails.

The nurse came into the room, her facial features were tired but she seemed content. She spoke about something, which Akane had no chance of understanding since they'd taken away her omni-tool along with her belongings, checking on the monitors of her life support one last time.

Akane tugged inconspicuously from under the sheets at her clothes to get her to make eye contact. When the nurse fell for it, it gave Akane the chance to cast a genjutsu at her again, it was the signal for her Kage Bunshin to disable the camera for five seconds, so the security would think of it as a system malfunction. The real Akane used this time-gap to switch places with the nurse by using the Henge no Jutsu as a form of disguise, all the while putting the unconscious nurse in her stead.

The camera came back online and the disguised Uchiha acted exemplary as any nurse would. She shifted the sheets a bit higher so her cover wouldn't blow right away. Her Kage Bunshin fell back into the shadows and dispersed as Akane made her way out of the room.

She gingerly moved across the hospital, went for the room where her things had been kept safe and once she found them, she secretly put her omni-tool back on her left arm, just in case of communication, then walked casually to the elevator with a random bag she used to hide her things in. She was more than surprised when security hadn't confiscated her weapons, perhaps on the Commander's orders...

... Or it had another meaning to it.

She figured the Commander didn't want her to be part of her crew, probably because she was a kid, under normal circumstances. If that was the case, she could understand the Commander's line of thought, though she herself knew she quit being a kid the moment she had joined the ranks of shinobi at the age of eight. Well, she considered offering herself to assist the Commander at some point. She had a good feeling about her, from the first moment she met her and besides, what else could she do in a completely unknown world?

She was a shinobi a.k.a kunoichi - tools of war specialized in many arts and in this era, where there was peace, she simply felt out of place or to be honest, she had forgotten what peace really felt like after the seven years of constant war with the sole purpose of survival. Alas, she wasn't educated in anything else than killing. But she pushed these troubling thoughts aside for now as she followed through the second phase of her plan.

It was time to explore the Citadel.

* * *

Location: Serpent Nebula - Widow - Citadel – Presidium – Financial District

Shepard POV

Jane was on the verge of admitting that investigating was harder than it sounded; almost. As her next target, she went for Barla Von's office near the Emporium. Hoping that the so-called 'financial genius', or whatever his moniker was, would bring some clarity into their inquest so far. A good start would be if Barla Von wasn't as touchy freely as the Consort.

His office had a simple design and wasn't big, even if the small volus alone was filling the room. The man – volus - in question, was behind his office table like any normal financial adviser. Barla Von's attention was directed at the monitor when Shepard and her team arrived.

"What's this? One of the Earth-clan? Ah, a very famous one, yes? You are the one called Shepard." He sounded surprised by her arrival, even if it was hardly visible when his facial features were obscured by his suit. He seemed decent, unlike a certain Consort, who tested the limits of Shepard's restraint.

Though she was unnerved by how quickly people recognized her simply by appearance no matter the race. Was she a star or something?

"It is a great honour to welcome the hero of the Blitz." he greeted her politely.

"The pleasure is mine, Barla Von." she returned the sentiment in earnest, but couldn't resist her curiosity to ask, "Though I was wondering how you knew about me?"

"Well, I am a financial advisor to many important clients here on the Citadel. When someone as important as yourself arrives at the station, I take notice. It's part of my job." he replied. Shepard believing him so far.

Shepard wasn't really a person who would blindly believe any rumour that had been spread around, but in this case, she would have to be transparent and straight to the point to get Barla Von where she needed him.

"I heard you work for the Shadow Broker. Do you have any information about Saren?"

"You're very blunt, Shepard. But you're right. I am an agent for the Shadow Broker. And I do know something about Saren." Bingo!

"I hear your information can be expensive," Shepard stated, recalling it from her memory.

"Normally, this information would cost a small fortune," he agreed with her, yet added to her surprise, "But these are exceptional circumstances. So I'm going to give it to you for free." that sounded too good to be true, "Care to elaborate?"

He sighed, and then divulged, "The Shadow Broker is quite upset with Saren right now. They used to do a lot of business. Until Saren turned on him." Jane hid a wicked grin nearly escaping her lips behind her Commander mask, Saren made a mistake; a fatal one. It was dangerous to fiddle with the Shadow Broker from what she had heard and even she labelled the cryptic entity as someone to look out for.

"Saren's turned on a lot of people lately." She knew Barla Von was informed of their political situation as he was aware of her presence on the Citadel.

"I don't know the details, but the Shadow Broker hired a freelancer to deal with it. A krogan mercenary," he mentioned.

"That's not much to go on." Shepard protested in hopes to get more details from the volus.

"I just told you that the most famous Spectre in the galaxy betrayed the Shadow Broker. Quite a bargain, considering the price," he argued back, drawing the line of their conversation which he was not willing to cross.

"Speak with the krogan if you want to learn more. I heard he was paying a visit to Citadel Security. If you hurry you might catch him before he leaves Academy." The volus slipped additional information to give Shepard what she wanted.

Satisfied, the Commander exited Barla Von's office not empty-handed.

* * *

Location: Somewhere on the Citadel

After the fluent execution of the first phase of her plan, the young Uchiha disappeared into the darkness of the night. She looked up, onyx eyes reflecting the countless stars shinning around. The Citadel was a marvel, and even that was a heavy understatement. It was a place like one out of the many fantasy books she had been drowning in when she was young.

_Duh, as if you were that old._

Yeah, she was like that during her early childhood years; a typical bookworm who rather enjoyed the company of books than people. 'A hopeless dreamer' they often used to call her. But above everything else, she loved history. The history of her people was captivating and a source of endless wonder for her. Studying history to such an extent at such age brought her only benefits, gaining a broader appreciation of what was important.

Learning so much enabled her to understand how events of the past came to happen and when she applied that same understanding into the future, she became concerned about where things were going.

She couldn't recall how often she had dreamed about the legends and myths evolving the Shinobi which went almost extinct past the generations. She was fascinated by chakra and jutsu, yet hadn't been able to use them properly. She had lived at a distance, observing individuals and ideas without getting directly involved so that she could fully understand them, so many people thought she was shy. She simply hadn't been much of a social person, still wasn't.

Although this approach prevented her from becoming close with many people, it enabled her to think and act without prejudice or preconceptions, instead evaluating things strictly on their own merits. She remembered clearly the day she had found out that she belonged not to _one_ , but _two_ exceptionally powerful clans of Konohagakure no Sato, which had a heavy impact on the history of the world.

Her father was an Uchiha while her mother was a Hyūga.

At first, she felt proud, who would not, though, after a couple of sleepless nights, she had come to the conclusion that she had been unworthy of her surname and feared that she would never live up to it no matter how hard she tried.

Of course, she wasn't the only Uchiha there was, there were many others, though nobody thought much of it; unlike Akane. Most people who carried the 'Uchiha' name had no obligation to their respective clan. The opposite of what it used to be. Something like a clan had no longer existed in her generation. The end of the Daiyoji Ninkai Taisen laid the very foundation of change that would affect future generations - the gradual disappearance of clans was just one example.

Instead of waging war among each other, the Kage of the Five Great Nations that played a significant role in the Daiyoji Ninkai Taisen decided it was time to establish a new era. An era founded on peace and understanding, that brought forth great prosperity and major development in the world's economy. They'd gotten so far; from strangers meaninglessly killing each other to a shared bright future without pain or suffering.

Even so, all the progress they'd made was crushed by the Reapers in not much of an instance.

For the better, she stopped herself from invoking bad memories to pointlessly foul her mood, taking in appreciation the scenery before her. The Citadel perfectly personified the power of the Citadel Council, even if they claimed that it was built by the protheans, which was actually not true.

The vision gave her more than just a simple vision as in the Commander's case. It gave her the common knowledge of a prothean; it was engraved in her as if she was once one of them. She felt the changes in her physique; she saw the world with greater clarity and accuracy, she could smell more fragrances in the air and tell the difference between them. It was like an unintentional power-up.

And all that without the use of either her Sharingan or Byakugan. Besides that, everything else was normal. She was back to full power and ready for anything, though she should really do a tour of the whole Citadel so long as she was still there.

 _"Well I guess there is no point of wasting time now, is it?"_ she thought as she was preparing the hand seals for the Henge no Jutsu. She couldn't possibly walk freely around the Citadel as she is when C-Sec would begin searching for her as soon as the nurse woke up, so a simple change of appearance should suffice.

She changed into a young fair-skinned man with short jet-black hair. His attire was that typical to the Uchiha clan and included a high-collared, dark-coloured shirt with the clan's symbol on his back, grey pants, bandages around his arms and legs, and black shinobi sandals. If she was, indeed, the last of her kind, then there was no point in worrying that somebody could recognize the clan's crest and even if somebody did, she would most definitely get her or his attention.

"Let's head to the Zakera Ward!" she said out loud enthusiastically, almost like a child on a school trip as she jumped down from one out of the many high skyscrapers on the Citadel.

* * *

Words dictionary:

Shinobi 忍 = Ninja

Kunoichi くノ一 = Female ninja

Kage 影 / Shadow \- Is a title reserved for the leader of one of the Five Great Shinobi Countries' hidden villages. A Kage oversees the activities of their village, from sending ninja on missions to making the hard decisions regarding the safety of their people. A village's Kage is generally acknowledged as its most powerful ninja. The Kage are renowned as the top shinobi of the continent.

Daiyoji Ninkai Taisen 四次忍界大戦 / The Fourth Shinobi World War \- It was a conflict between the Allied Shinobi Forces and Akatsuki. The battle began on the 8th of October and lasted until the 10th, with the complete victory of the Allied Shinobi Forces, the collapse of Akatsuki, and the sealing of the Ten-Tails.

Kage Bunshin no Jutsu 影分身の術 / Shadow Clone Technique \- This jutsu allows the user to create one or more copies of themselves. Unlike the basic Clone Technique, shadow clones are physically real. They possess the same clothing, damage, and transformations as the user at the time of their creation. Most tools and weaponry are copied when the shadow clones are created, but complicated technology won't be duplicated. Because they are visually identical and possess the same chakra as the user, shadow clones are indistinguishable from their original, not even by dōjutsu. Once created, shadow clones can serve a number of purposes.

Henge no Jutsu 変化の術 / Transformation Technique \- It allows the user to take the appearance of whatever they choose. This technique is most often used to disguise the user as another person, but they can also turn into an animal, plant, or inanimate object. Users will gain the attributes and physical features of whatever they transform into, such as a weapon's sharpness or an animal's fangs. To be able to assume so many different forms makes this technique invaluable for not just combat, but intelligence gathering and diversionary tactics as well.

* * *

Author's note:

Hello guys, it's me again! And I have an announcement to make! So in the end, I decided to pair up Akane with Javik, though as Mass Effect fans/players may know, Javik will appear during the events of MS3 so you will have to wait for that romance quite I bit (sorry for that), though the reason I chose not to bring Javik somehow earlier into my story was that Akane is not mentally ready to have a relationship so soon that's why I saved it for later. As for Shepard, I am honestly clueless with whom I should pair her up with (though my best shot would be Thane), so any ideas would be welcomed.


	10. The Local Crime Lord

_„Thinking"_

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: Serpent Nebula - Widow - Citadel – Upper Wards – C-Sec Academy

Shepard POV

The moment Shepard stepped foot out of the elevator heading down to C-Sec, she spotted the krogan Barla Von kindly informed her about. He wore red armour whilst being surrounded by two armed turian C-Sec employes and was notably having a starring match with a human C-Sec Officer.

"This is your only warning, Wrex." The C-Sec Officer tried to sound more intimidating, feeling braver when he was backed up by his colleagues, he shot the krogan a glare that looked ridiculous from the distance and made Shepard grin like a fool.

"You should warn Fist. I will kill him." Deriving from what Shepard knew of a krogan's body language, she deduced that Wrex found it amusing too as he shrugged off the Officer's threats.

"You want me to arrest you?" The C-Sec Officer tried again, earning a small chuckle from the massive krogan coming closer to him.

"I want you to try." Wrex dared, as he saw Shepard's team approaching from behind. He casually walked past the Officer and joined Shepard in the corridor.

"Yes, human?" he confronted the red-head Commander, ignoring the 'Go on. Get out of her.' that the C-Sec Officer shot at him as a parting gift.

"I am trying to bring down Saren. Barla Von said to talk to you," she responded, trying to miss the fact that the krogan was a good head (or two) taller than her.

"Barla Von is a wise man. We may share a common goal, human." Wrex crossed his arms.

"Enlighten me." She mimicked his posture.

"I've been hired to kill the owner of Chora's Den. A man named Fist. He did something very foolish." Wrex came closer and Jane only now took notice of a nasty scar traversing to the right from his frontal plate down through his lips, reaching his neck.

"He betrayed the Shadow Broker," Shepard concluded with her logical thinking that prompted the krogan to elaborate further.

"A quarian showed up here on the Citadel. She was on the run. She wanted to trade information for a safe place to hide, so she went to Fist. He promised to arrange a meeting between her and the Shadow Broker. Instead, he contacted Saren." Wrex finished, his crimson red eyes looking at Jane's green one.

"Fist's not too smart." Jane joked.

"He's just greedy. Saren paid him a small fortune for the quarian. He had to. She has evidence connecting him to the geth." he revealed to which Kaidan was saying out loud the exact same thing probably Shepard and Williams were thinking about, "If we can get our hands on that evidence, we can prove that Saren's a traitor! The Council will have to listen to us."

"Where's the quarian now?" Shepard's eyes fell back on the krogan.

"Last I heard, Fist still had her. Probably somewhere inside his club. You help me kill Fist, she's all yours." he offered a deal; a deal which Shepard would accept _after_ she questioned Wrex about the Shadow Broker. She didn't really want trouble with the entity, after all, having enough on her plate with Saren already.

"I want to know more about your employer."

"Can't tell you much. All I got was a coded message with the details of the job. Standard procedure." he replied without giving it too much thought, that was when Williams reminded the team of Garrus, "What about Garrus? The turian? He wants to take Saren down, too."

"He was here just before you showed up. Said he was going to follow up a lead on his investigation. Wanted to speak to the doctor at the med clinic." Wrex answered before Shepard could.

"Then we better hurry! You know the way Wrex?" It was Jane's first time at the Citadel after all. The krogan nodded as they set out for the med clinic.

" _Finally some action._ " Shepard thought as they headed towards the med clinic, she needed to lose up some of that aggression from dealing with people like the Consort, etc.

* * *

Location: Serpent Nebula - Widow - Citadel – Upper Wards – Markets

Akane leisurely leaned against the railing, watching the lights of the Citadel flickering through the large window. She moved as discreet as possible, trying to be visible to those who didn't pay attention to her and vice versa, and she was evading trouble as much as the situation allowed it. She had one-fifth of her chakra right now, giving most of it to her Kage Bunshin who were scouting the other Wards.

Of course, she was still capable of fighting, though it would be better if she didn't get into trouble so early on. Otherwise, she would risk her cover. That was when she heard the gunshots.

 _"What's happening over there?"_ she thought, abruptly detaching herself from the railing when people began running in the opposite direction, away from the place of events. She wanted to activate her Byakugan to evaluate the situation from the distance, though she managed to stop herself in the last second, she nearly did something she had warned herself only seconds ago.

 _"How careless of me."_ She shook her head in disappointment; she had the tendency to rely too much on her ocular powers.

She ran in the direction of the gunshots and pressed herself against the wall near the entrance to take a look at who is fighting when she heard two familiar voices ringing through the med clinic, she knew her question was answered.

"Protect the doctor!" shouted Shepard with her usual ferocity.

"You bet your ass we do!" Chief Williams shouted back to what the biggest alien present in the room laughed in a raucous voice. There was also that turian she saw running around the Wards. If she remembered correctly, his name was Garrus. He was asking a lot of people questions about Saren, so Akane considered him to be some kind of detective or investigator working for C-Sec. Seemed she had hit the mark.

While she was glad to see the Commander in good health, the same about Chief Williams, what really got her thinking was the enemy they were fighting against. These thugs, their uniform, she recognized them from somewhere.

Chora's Den! When Akane first entered the Lower Wards, she visited this local gentlemen's club of which she had heard much about. Let's say she wasn't too fond of it (mildly put), though she did notice at least fifteen men entering the club before she left.

 _"Better warn Shepard... somehow."_ She hid right behind the corner, waiting for Shepard to finish her chat with Garrus. She had left Williams to guard the doctor, setting out with the krogan, whose name she didn't know, and Garrus. She had sent her team ahead, and when she stepped out of the clinic, Akane approached her from behind.

The Uchiha's steps were silent when she got closer to the Commander, then she whispered softly in Shepard's ear, "It's an ambush." she used the Shunshin no Jutsu to disappear the moment Shepard sharply turned around, searching for the mysterious voice.

"Shepard, you're coming?" boomed the krogan from far away, snapping the Commander out of her mind back into reality.

* * *

Location: Serpent Nebula - Widow - Citadel – Lower Wards – Chora's Den

Shepard POV

Shepard hurried through the halls to Chora's Den together with Wrex and Garrus.

_It's an ambush._

These words were echoing in her head. Shepard shrugged it off as her mind playing tricks on her. She and her team were greeted by few thugs at the entrance of the club, who were quickly dealt with.

"Looks like it's shut down." Garrus pointed out.

"Don't let your guards down, guys," Shepard yelled, no matter how weak the enemy, everybody who held a gun was dangerous.

"Fist knows we're coming," Wrex noted as they made their way to the club. The fun started when the closed-door swished open and Shepard was nearly showered in a hail of shots if she hadn't leapt out of the way.

The battle did seem dangerous; Shepard coated herself into her barrier to press forward. Bullets absorbed by it as she made her way inside, taking the attention off the thugs in the club long enough for Wrex and Garrus to follow after. They were outnumbered; however, the enemy had the disadvantage of not having armour so a few clean shots were all to take them down one by one.

Once they got into the club's warehouse, Shepard convinced the workers there to find a new job and let them pass. Seconds later, they found Fist' hideout. Shepard entered the manager's office, not expecting much resistance, but was severely mistaken when the crime lord activated two mini turrets which showered Jane with bullets in a glimpse of an eye.

Shepard took a bullet to her side when her kinetic barrier, as well as shields, were taken down by the turrets. She managed to get back into cover and quickly applied some medi-gel onto her wound to stop the bleeding while Garrus and Wrex took care of the turrets. Wrex charged at Fist, knocking him down with his charge. The human man winced in pain, Wrex and Garrus towering over him.

Shepard came after them, joining them by the recumbent human. When Fist realized his position he surrendered, "Wait! Don't kill me! I surrender!"

Shepard aimed her pistol at him making him turn his head away, awaiting the killing shot, yet instead, the Commander demanded in an intimidating tone, "Where's the quarian?"

"She's not here. I don't know where she is. That's the truth!" Fist admitted.

"He's no use to you now. Let me kill him." Wrex applied more pressure on Fist, taking out his shotgun.

"Wait! Wait! I don't know where the quarrian is, but I know where you can find her. The quarrian isn't here. Said she'd only deal with the Shadow Broker himself." The crime lord tried again.

"Face to face? Impossible! Even I was hired through an agent." The krogan mercenary stated. Shepard lowered her pistol, giving Fist the chance to stand up.

"Nobody meets the Shadow Broker. Ever. Even I don't know his true identity. But she didn't know that. I told her I'd set a meeting up," Fist faced the Commander.

"But when she shows up, it'll be Saren's men waiting for her." That set Shepard on alert and she grabbed Fist by the collar, "Give me the location. Now."

"Here on the wards. The back alley by the markets. She's supposed to meet them right now. You can make it if you hurry." The Commander's grip loosened and Fist flinched when Wrex pulled the trigger of his shotgun. Shepard forgot that the krogan was here for other reasons. She felt no pity for Fist, but her nature was against the act of killing.

"What are you doing?!" Garrus fumed.

"The Shadow Broker paid me to kill him. I don't leave jobs half done." Wrex responded calmly.

"We don't shoot unarmed prisoners!" Shepard threw a sharp glance at him.

"How many people died because of him? He brought this on himself. Besides, we have more pressing concerns." Wrex finished the topic. As much as the Commander wanted to be furious with the mercenary right now, he had a point. They were out of time.

She chose to let out her anger at the reinforcements that were swarming Chora's Den.

* * *

Location: Serpent Nebula - Widow - Citadel – Lower Wards – Lower Markets

Akane didn't want to meddle in the Commander's business, though she took it upon herself to at least check up on her, so her feet carried her towards Chora's Den. Well, that was the original plan. Nonetheless, plans could change in a matter of seconds; especially when Akane's attention caught something of greater interest when she had reached the corridor leading to the club.

A quarian in a dark-purple suit went into the alleyway that linked the elevator from the Ward Access corridor to the Lower Wards.

 _"Didn't Garrus mention something about a quarian?"_ she contemplated, trying to remember how this quarian was connected to the turian's inquest. To some extent failing, she decided to secretly follow after her.

The alleyway was remarkably quiet, unlike the rest of the Citadel. Akane concentrated her chakra at her feet and sneaked up to the ceiling, where light couldn't reach. She was crouching up-side-down, hidden in the darkness of the room, enough to observe the quarian from up above.

"Perfect place for an assassination... or a secret meeting," Akane mumbled quietly before three figures came through the other entrance.

"Speak of the devil," she muttered as one turian and two salarians made their way down the stairs to where the quarrian was standing. The alleyway was swallowed in an intense red afterglow of the artificial light, making it hard even for Akane's keen eyes to make out the alien's faces.

"Did you bring it?" The turian stepped closer to the quarian with confidence that told Akane a thing or two about him. She discerned an assassin whenever she saw one, it was visible in the way he carried himself; aloof and self-assured that he would get what he wanted.

"Where's the Shadow Broker? Where's Fist?" The quarian inquired, not flinching when the turian dragged his fingers - no talons - gently down her side of the helmet before adding, "They'll be here. Where's the evidence?"

Obvious to his lying, the quarian didn't react complacently by swatting away his hand, "No way. The deal's off."

This declaration was enough for the turian to back away and let the two salarians take care of things by drawing their weapons. The quarian threw a small grenade at the two salarians so she had enough time to get to cover. They hadn't taken much damage from the explosion, their suits absorbing most of the damage, yet were blown back a few meters.

Akane was deciding whether she should provide assistance to the quarian or rather not get involved in it altogether. Wait; actually, Akane wouldn't have followed the quarrian in the first place if she didn't want to get involved so... yeah. She was already involved, although to what extent depended on her.

 _"Huh, can't be helped I suppose."_ she exhaled, jumping from the ceiling right behind the two salarians who just got up on their feet. The turian was too focused on the quarian than to see how his partners dropped on the ground by Akane's Ranshinshō.

"What the-" The turian yelled at Akane at the clank of the salarian's armour hitting the ground, but was shot down by the quarian before he had a chance to finish the sentence. The quarian presumed it was safe to leave her cover and guardedly came closer to the still disguised Akane, who stood still like a statue.

"Not that I don't appreciate the help, but who are you and why were you spying on me?" The quarian requested when Shepard's team raced through the same entry Akane and the quarian came. The quarian turned to look at the Commander and Akane smartly took the chance to vanish from the scene with the Shunshin no Jutsu.

* * *

Location: Serpent Nebula - Widow - Citadel – Lower Wards – Ward Access corridor

Shepard POV

"What happened?" Shepard asked with a breathy voice from all the running and shooting she had to do to get here.

"Fist set me up! I knew I couldn't trust him!" The quarian sneered.

Looking at the unmoving bodies the Commander asked, "Were you hurt in the fight?"

"I know how to look after myself, though I had some help," she slightly turned her head around to where Akane was standing only to find out that the human wasn't there anymore, much to her surprise, "wait! Where did he go?"

"Where did who go?"

"He didn't tell me his name, but I know he's human. He vanished the same as he came; quick and unexpected. Apart from that, who are you?" The quarian's hooded eyes fell back on Shepard and her team.

"My name's Shepard. I'm looking for evidence to prove Saren's a traitor."

"Then I might have what you're looking for. But not here. We need to go somewhere safe." Shepard was thinking of such a place when Garrus added, "We could take her to the human embassy. Your ambassador will want to seed this anyway."

Shepard only nodded, heading towards the elevator that would take them up to the Presidium.

* * *

Words dictionary:

Shunshin no Jutsu 瞬身の術 / Body Flicker Technique \- By using the Body Flicker Technique, a ninja can move short to long distances at an almost untraceable speed. To an observer, it appears as if the user has teleported. It is accomplished by using chakra to temporarily vitalize the body and move at extreme speeds. The amount of chakra required depends on the overall distance and elevation between the user and the intended destination.

Ranshinshō 乱身衝 / Body Pathway Derangement \- Akane creates an electric field within a part of her body and when she strikes a target with her it, the electricity pours into their nervous system and rearranges their body's signals. Ordinarily, the brain sends electric signals to the body to control how it moves. But when under the influence of this technique, these signals will produce any movement other than what the brain intends. When used against most opponents, they will be unable to do something as simple as walking, much less continue fighting.


	11. The First Human Spectre

_„Thinking"_

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: Serpent Nebula - Widow - Citadel – Presidium – Citadel Tower

Shepard POV

They got him.

Shepard and her team managed to find fire-proof evidence for the Council to revoke Saren's spectre status. But there was no need to rush things after she took Tali'Zorah nar Rayya (Tali in short) to the meet with the Ambassador and Captain to discuss their 'proof' in the form of an audio log in which Saren talked about the assault on Eden Prime along with another strange party.

The two men in charge gave the Commander a quick pause to catch her breath. Better take advantage of it while she still could. Who knew what would happen after they expose Saren. So she decided to go for a drink (or two) to Chora's Den. Her first option was to go to the Embassy Bar, but the noble atmosphere didn't sit with her quite right.

So here she was, sitting at the central bar of the gentlemen's club with Wrex and Garrus. She briefly wondered who took charge of the club after they took care of Fist as she sipped from her cocktail. She made sure she wouldn't get too buzzed or she would definitely get an earful from Udina. Even though the krogan was largely against, trying to get her to cut some loose to what Shepard only snorted.

She played with the glass in her hand when she overheard a conversation near her stool.

"Have you heard the news?" The young man, probably in his early twenties, asked his turian friend seated closely next to him.

"What news?" The other took a sip from his beer, starring confused at his comrade.

"Apparently a patient escaped from the clinic, just recently I think," he revealed, making the turian snort into his beer bottle.

"That's nothing new; C-Sec will find him or her within a couple of hours with that top-notch security system they've recently installed into the hospital." The turian boasted, earning a chuckle from the human who obviously expected such a response from his friend.

"Hah! Here comes the part where I must disappoint you, my turian buddy... the cameras didn't catch a thing." The human dramatically explained, making the turian choke as he took another gulp. Slamming the beer back on the table with such force that it almost cracked, he belted in disbelief, "You're shitting me!"

"I am telling you the truth! The girl just vanished into thin air and C-Sec has a hard time finding her ever since." He smiled smugly at the turian.

"But they still made a profile of her, right?" he insisted, but the human only waved his hand dismissively.

"My brother, who works there, told me that they brought her freshly in comatose. They didn't know anything about her except the name." The young man stated, before ordering another round of beer for the two of them.

 _"Is he referring to Akane?"_ Jane muscles tensed under her armour.

"So what's the girl's name then?" the turian asked after a short moment of silence.

"Must have slipped my mind, heh, sorry buddy." the human shot an apologetic smile towards the turian.

"Though I pretty sure it began with the letter 'A' and sounded Japanese."

"They can only talk about Akane. What has the kid gotten herself into this time?" Shepard muttered, finishing her drink in one gulp.

"Guys, finish up! We're going." Jane shouted to be overheard through the loud music, but she still heard the unsatisfied groan Wrex let out which made her lips quirk up.

They were making their way out of the club when a bypassing asari dancer jogged Shepard's memory. Right! She had given the Consort her word to deal with her relationship problem regarding the turian general she was supposed to find here. It took her a few short talks and pushing through the crowds to finally locate him.

"Commander? Hmph. What do you want?" asked the turian general in a sceptic tone.

"I am here on Sha'ira's behalf. Your lies are hurting her." Shepard's eyes roamed the turian who went on the bottle when Sha'ira gave him his walking papers. He was wearing formal attire, one fitting for his position, albeit the choice of place didn't really say much good about him.

"Good. Her lies have been killing me for days. I've seen a lot of horrible things in my days and there's only one woman in this damn galaxy that helps me forget it."

_"Poor guy, he's got a bad taste in women."_

Or maybe Jane was evaluating the Consort the wrong way since she met her. When she listened to the General's passionate rant about the asari, she reflected on her faulty opinion about the Consort. Perhaps she was too quick to let false prejudice cloud her judgement; a mistake on her part. Something she would have to work on in the future.

"This is the great turian general? How did your kind ever defeat us?" Wrex taunted.

"I may be drunk, krogan, but you're ugly. And tomorrow, I'll be sober. Now unless you have a cure for this ache in my gut, go away." Shepard silenced Wrex with a look.

"Is she really worth it? There must be other women." Shepard implied, trying to offer him the idea of letting go of the Consort, not because she was trying to separate them, but for the sake of the turian general.

"It's not just any woman I want. It's her, and her alone." he blurted out, the alcohol making him feel bolder, though she had to compliment him on his loyalty. No, seriously. She had found the fact worthy of admiring.

"Look, kid, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but don't waste your time." Septimus kept his gaze on the empty bottles on his table.

"General, did you ever win a battle by moping in a bar?" Shepard took the Consort's advice to heart and gave it a try to reawaken the sense of honour somewhere deep within him.

"Ha, war! That's what this feels like all right. How did I let it come to this? You think it's that easy? Just straighten up and act like a general?" He leant back against his chair, getting on what Shepard was implying.

"It's better than sitting on your ass all day." Unexpectedly, the voice of encouragement came from Wrex.

"Huh. Maybe you're right, Commander. Sha'ira's worth the effort... even if she won't have me back." Septimus considered at last.

"That's the spirit! This is no place for someone of your stature, General." She gave him a little extra push with a gentle smile.

"All right. I'll go to her... after I've had a cold shower. Or two. Say, you're a bright kid. Would you be interested in earning a few extra credits?" He sat up straighter, much more like he should as a General.

"Depends. What do you want me to do?"

* * *

Location: Serpent Nebula - Widow - Citadel – Presidium – Peak of the Citadel Tower

Akane was chilling on the roof of the Citadel Tower, or other known as the epicentre of the massive Citadel. A few hours passed after the little scuffle with the assassins in the Lower Wards. It was a close call, too close for Akane's liking, though apart from that, it was still a success. She looked down, admiring the view around her. She still couldn't quite believe it. The young Uchiha found herself on the most impressing technical structure of this time and probably the first to have travelled so far into space.

If only her presence here wouldn't steer up so much trouble.

C-Sec activity became higher each passing day, so Akane was forced to disperse all her Kage Bunshin, and they came back with literally a ton of information that they had gathered these past few days. At least now she was up to date with her knowledge, having more insight on unknown territory was always beneficial.

More or less, she was more than impressed how far these races have come together. Of course, there had been wars like the First Contact War, Rachni Wars, Krogan Rebellions and such, but these happened on a galactic stage. It was astonishing, extraordinary, beyond words to comprehend in her opinion. Her kind needed centuries to sort out cultural differences between each of the Shinobi Godaikoku. And _four_ devastating world wars to achieve that.

However, shinobi history happened only among themselves. But this world... It connected with other species; aliens so to say. These were a dozen different species working and co-existing peacefully (for most of the time). Though what really interested her most was the race called 'Humans'. Shepard's race.

Akane's kind, comparing to humans, were staggeringly similar in many areas; most of all appearance and anatomy. However, there was this one significant distinction she had already mentioned before: Humans had no chakra and were therefore probably a bit weaker than an average shinobi - with the latter to be tested later on.

She really ought to read through their history anytime soon.

Maybe once she had more freedom. And her face wouldn't pop up on every damn digital platform there was on the Citadel. Though truth to be told, it did remind her of her days as a nukenin.

She had become a nukenin after the Abenjāzu Downfall, but she did so on the order of the alliance's leader Shigetoki Ijima. While most of Konoha's remaining population had indeed considered Akane a criminal and treated her as such, the leader was privately aware that she remained loyal to the alliance.

Not much had changed since then. She was still the same lone wolf as she had always been, though she could add the title 'stalker' to her collection because she was currently stalking the hell out of Commander Shepard and her team. The only thing Akane was most certain of was that the Commander would meet the Council within the next couple of hours, probably because of Saren attacking Eden Prime with the Geth.

"Well, I see no other option other than to wait here, see how things will turn out. It's not like I haven't gotten anything to think about," she murmured, falling into an abyss of deep thoughts.

* * *

Location: Serpent Nebula - Widow - Citadel – Presidium – Citadel Tower

Shepard POV

The Commander was making her way up to the Citadel tower, prepared to face the Council once again. The Ambassador went ahead so he could 'set up' the stage before Jane and Anderson arrived. Honestly though? To Jane, it felt more like Udina wanted to keep them from the meeting as long as possible so either Jane or Anderson wouldn't fuck things up.

_What a team player he was._

On the bright side, Shepard had enough time to attend to unfinished business throughout the Citadel. It lightened up her mood a bit; especially after the Consort's encouraging words and being stopped by a fan of hers. She made sure to slip a smile towards the asari if only for the sake of self-satisfaction. 

"Come on. Udina's presenting the quarian's evidence to the Council." Captain Anderson brought her back from her thoughts, waiting for her at the exact same spot as the last time they had approached the Council. She didn't get two steps closer when she heard Udina saying a finishing line after the recording ended, "You wanted proof. There it is."

"This evidence is irrefutable, Ambassador. Saren will be stripped of his spectre status and all efforts will be made to bring him in to answer for his crimes." Councillor Sparatus exclaimed, which made Shepard mentally sight in relief, _"About time."_

"I recognize the other voice, the one speaking with Saren. Matriarch Benezia." Councillor Tevos uncovered with no small amount of disappointment glistering in her eyes, though it raised questions in Shepard that she didn't bother to hold back, "Who's she?"

"Matriarchs are powerful asari who have entered the final stage of their lives. Revered for their wisdom and experience, they serve as guides and mentors to my people. Matriarch Benezia is a powerful biotic, and she had many followers. She will make a formidable ally for Saren." The asari explained.

"I'm more interested in the Reapers. What do you know about them?" The salarian councillor swiftly changed the topic so the human ambassador wouldn't get a chance to use this piece of information to pressure Tevos any further.

Shepard barely resisted rolling her eyes on the salarian councillor. _"Oh now they're showing interest in it,"_ she thought, though they still had to give him the same answer they had given them the first time they had mentioned this. Jane was thankful that Anderson took it upon himself to answer.

"Only what was extracted from the geth's memory core. The Reapers were an ancient race of machines that wiped out the Protheans. Then they vanished."

"The Geth believe the reapers are gods. And Saren is the prophet for their return. We think the Conduit is the key to bringing them back. Saren's searching for it. That's why he attacked Eden Prime." Shepard added.

"Do you even know what this Conduit is?" Councillor Valern further inquired, surprising both the Commander and Captain that he didn't label this topic as nonsense like the last time.

"Saren thinks it can bring back the Reapers. That's bad enough." Jane couldn't give him a better answer, not when she was in the dark about it. By the way, Councillor Sparatus' mandibles moved she knew that he, out of the three, wasn't content with the response.

"Listen to what you're saying! Saren wants to bring back the machines that wiped out all life in the galaxy? Impossible. It has to be." Sparatus reacted in his usual expressive manner.

 _"And here I thought he is being reasonable."_ Shepard let out a viewless sigh, letting the turian continue.

"Where did the Reapers go? Why did they vanish? How come we've found no trace of their existence? If they were real, we'd have found something!" The turian turned to look at the other councillors, then mimicked Tevos' posture.

"I tried to warn you about Saren, and you refused to face the truth. Don't make the same mistake again." Shepard said with a neutral expression, even when her tone sounded accusing.

"This is different. You proved Saren betrayed the Council. We all agree he's using the Geth to search for the Conduit, but we don't really know why." Tevos looked at the Valern who gave her a simple nod, most likely a signal for him to support her statement.

"The Reapers are obviously just a myth, Commander. A convenient lie to cover Saren's true purpose. A legend he is using to bend the Geth to his will." Councillor Valern did as Shepard predicted he would.

She tried to make it clear to them what was at stake, "Fifty thousand years ago, the Reapers wiped out all galactic civilization. If Saren finds the Conduit, it will happen again!"

"Saren is a rogue agent on the run for his life. He no longer has the rights of resources of a Spectre. The Council has stripped him of his position." Shepard nearly growled at the Sparatus' rather poor excuse but Udina threw his two cents in, "That is not good enough! You know he's hiding somewhere in the Traverse. Send your fleet in!"

"A fleet cannot track down one man." Valern shook his head.

"A Citadel fleet could secure the entire region. Keep the Geth from attacking any more of our colonies." Udina persisted, though Jane had to admit it was a good move by reminding the Council of their mistake to keep the pressure up or gain sympathy from bystanding politicians, who were watching this from behind the scenes.

"Or it could trigger a war with the Terminus Systems! We won't be dragged into a galactic confrontation over a few dozen human colonies!" Sparatus fiercely objected.

"I can take Saren down," Shepard promised, holding a determined gaze towards the three councillors.

"The Commander's right. There is a way to stop Saren that doesn't require fleets or armies." Councillor Tevos looked over at Sparatus who knew what she was implying and was more than against the idea, "No! It's too soon. Humanity is not ready for the responsibilities that come with joining the Spectres."

"You don't have to send a fleet into the Traverse and the Ambassador gets his human Spectre. Everybody's happy." Shepard suggested while her face remained neutral. The three councillors shared a look among each other. Shepard just needed to convince Councillor Tevos and Valern so Councillor Sparatus would have to oblige to the majority. Democracy could work both ways.

After a long pause where words were exchanged through looks, the turian councillor finally gave in and nodded. Shepard knew her strategy worked when Councillor Tevos spoke up, "Commander Shepard – step forward."

Jane took a quick look at Anderson, who gave her a warm smile in return before she did what she had been told to. She positioned herself in the same manner when she had received the Star of Terra all these years ago; she pushed out her chest and straightened up, levelling her gaze at the Council. This was a historical moment for the Alliance and Humanity as a race in general, and she would make sure to live up to it no matter what.

Diplomats from all around have gathered to witness the moment when the councillors began with their speech for the short ceremony. They emphasized the importance of the role of a Spectre in the galactic community and gave Shepard her first mission along the way.

"I am honoured, Councillor." Commander Shepard slightly bowed her head to show her gratefulness.

With everything being said, the councillors adjourned the meeting, and Jane released a deep breath she didn't know she was holding. Anderson chuckled at the display, and then genuinely congratulated her for finally becoming a Spectre. The moment Jane's hand shook the Captain's she felt she could burst from happiness. She felt proud of her. Just like when she had received the Starr of Terra. He was there, watching as if she was his daughter, even if reality was different.

Saren should better watch his step from now on if he didn't want to get his turian ass kicked.

* * *

Location: Serpent Nebula - Widow - Citadel – C-Sec Academy – Normandy docking bay

Akane watched the whole exchange of the Commander and the Council from a safe distance with her Byakugan. While she still had the option to use the Sharingan's granted clarity of perception to read their lips jointly with the Byakugan's ability to view great distances, through closer inspection it was unnecessary to waste her chakra on the Sharingan because of the language barrier.

She had moved from the Citadel Tower once Shepard's meeting was over, not so far from the docking bay. She observed as the Commander spoke with the same humans that stood beside her during the meeting not so long ago. Top-ranking official, no doubt. Once Akane was sure the humans were out of reach, she approached the Commander and her team with the help of the Shunshin no Jutsu before they could depart.

They hadn't noticed Akane's presence when the Uchiha decided to address the Commander, "Excuse me, Ma'am, do you have a moment?"

The Commander faintly jumped at the unexpected visit but kept it perfectly hidden behind her mask of professionalism; the same with which she had faced the Council. The krogan and quarian skilfully spun around and levelled their guns at Akane who didn't move a single muscle. Not out of fear, but more of an old habit she had gotten from her time as an Anbu.

"Someone you know, Shepard?" Neither the krogan nor quarian took their eyes from the Uchiha even for a second, probably perceiving Akane as a threat due to successfully sneaking up on them without them having even the slightest awareness of her.

"I wondered when you would show up." Shepard relaxed her tensed muscles as she turned to look at the strange girl. Akane looked exactly the same as she had sent her to Huerta, though healthier and rested.

"Shouldn't you be at the hospital?" Shepard raised a commanding eyebrow in her direction, which sort of reminded Akane of her mother, whenever she or Shirone got into trouble.

Akane gave no response and simply waited for the Commander to change the topic. The young Uchiha knew from experience just how much one could learn about a person if one just picked up the little details in body movement, tone of voice, eye contact, facial expression and etc. That's why her expression was so blank for most of the time; a way of not giving the enemy any information that could be used against her.

"So, what do you want?" Shepard broke the silence that had come between them.

"I would like to accompany you on your mission." Akane casually responded, catching the Commander as well as quarian by surprise to what the krogan let out a low chuckle, then lowered his gun.

"The kid has guts. I like it, but I think this isn't a good place for someone of your age." The krogan took in Akane's small form.

She indeed was the smallest out of the three standing in front of them and the frame of her body matched the quarian's at some point, but apart from that, the krogan shouldn't judge a book by its cover. She felt challenged, underestimated. Her logical thinking knew it was a trap set up by the krogan to see if she had the guts to do it. She willingly took the bait, considering it to be her best chance to get into the Commander's crew.

"If you're worried about my combat capabilities then I suggest putting them to the test." she offered, looking between the krogan and the Commander.

"What do say, Boss?" The krogan watched the Commander ponder for a second, before she agreed to it, at last, taking even Akane off guard by the decision.

As Shepard had mentioned before, she stopped treating the girl like any other child and thinking back she displayed incredible battle prowess during their fight against the geth. She would prove to be a valuable asset in her pursuit of Saren.

But... did she have the right to drag Akane into this mess? Well, she wasn't the one dragging her, rather the girl had volunteered out of her own free will; yet still, the whole notion felt utterly wrong to her. Now she regretted giving her approval, but she had come up with an idea to prevent Akane from joining her team by setting such conditions on the girl's offer that she wouldn't accomplish.

"State your conditions, Ma'am." Akane voiced the Commander's thoughts, but Shepard didn't let it show on her expression.

"You can join my crew under the condition you will win every duel against opponents of my choice. Deal?" Shepard held out her hand, and Akane came closer to take it with fierce determination, "Deal."

The quarian was not as pleased as the krogan, shaking her head dismissively when they entered the Normandy.

* * *

Words dictionary:

Shinobi Godaikoku 忍び五大国 = Five Great Shinobi Countries

Nukenin 抜け忍 = Missing-nin \- Are ninja who abandon their village with no intention of returning. Missing-nin are criminals in effect, if not before their defection then certainly after abandoning their duties.

Anbu 暗部 = Anbu Black Ops / Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai 暗殺戦術特殊部隊 = Special Assassination and Tactical Squad \- Are covert operatives of capable ninja that are dispatched by their village leader. There are apparently no true ranks within the Anbu; team leadership and hierarchy seem to be based on merit and experience. The leaders of the teams are called squad leaders (分隊長, Buntaichō), a position held in high regard.

Shigetoki Ijima 井島重時 = Was the highest-ranking individual in Second Allied Shinobi Forces in Konoha and the head of the Purotekutā fraction during the alliance's division.


	12. Let Our Fist Do The Talking

„ _Thinking_ "

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: SSV Normandy SR-1 - First Deck

Akane was led by the Commander through the advanced spacecraft. She was mesmerized by the breathtaking map of the galaxy which shone like a star against the dark contrast of the interior. She nearly stumbled over her own feet as she briefly passed by, ignoring the human crew members around, then headed down by one of the two stairwells located on either side of the map.

The second deck was crowded and she already recognized two familiar faces; that of Sir Alenko and Chief Williams sitting at the table of the mess hall. They already shouted their congratulations across the deck at the bypassing Commander, who told Akane to wait here for her while she disappeared in one of the rooms on this deck. She respected the privacy of others not to pry with her Byakugan, the Uchiha would never degrade herself to such unethical behaviour.

By the time it took the Commander (which wasn't long) to rejoin them, Sir Alenko went to Akane to properly thank her for saving his life at Eden Prime since he hadn't really gotten the opportunity as of late. The Commander had changed into a casual military attire as they took the nearby elevator to descend a deck lower, ordering the humans to follow.

Akane was quick to look around, analysing what was probably going to be the place where the duel would be held. Most of the Commander's crew, except the quarian, were present in the large room with Sir Alenko and Chief Williams following shortly after.

„What's this about Commander?" Chief Williams asked.

„Yeah, what's going on?" Sir Alenko added shortly after, obviously confused about their little gathering here in the storage sections of the Normandy.

„The kid wants to join the crew." The krogan's gruff voice responded as he leant back against the Mako next to Garrus, chuckling to himself at the simple idea. Some had joined him and found amusement while some remained silent, though Akane cared for neither of their opinions. They were insignificant if compared to the Commander's. Therefore, she waited.

„Akane, could you please put your weapons on that table over there, next to the lockers?" Commander Shepard pointed her to the direction on the opposite of the sneering krogan. Akane stiffened at the Commander's request, piercing green eyes staring into the void of white. Although she was hesitant at first, she obliged nonetheless and placed her two chokutō and few kunai from her weapon pouches on the side table on which several other guns were laid out.

In the meantime, Commander Shepard briefed the group about the deal.

„So Akane, you really want to do this? This is your last chance to back out." Shepard knew that the girl wouldn't back down anyway, though she better asked now before she would regret it.

„No, I will see this through." This was her chance, so she would try not to blow it. However, she still needed to remain cautious when using her chakra-based abilities. The more she showed, the more suspicion it would raise among the crew members which might result in trouble later on.

The thing was; she found herself being in the worst situation since she had been declared as a nukenin. She was practically no one, had no one, owned nothing and was trained in nothing else but the art of killing in a modern society reigned by peace. Peace; a foreign concept to her mindset. This was probably the only option she could take without reaching out to a path of crime. No matter how inviting and easier taking this path might be; it wouldn't be what Shirone wished for her. It wouldn't be the reason she had died for her.

„Williams, get your ass over here! You're going first." Shepard yelled at the woman in a playful tone. Akane hadn't seen the Commander so relaxed before. As soon as she got near, the Commander explained the rules of this duel.

„A normal hand-to-hand sparring match. No weapons allowed. Whoever gets knocked out or yields loses, understood?" They both nodded.

„Just so you know, even if you're just a kid, I won't go easy on you," mocked Williams as she got into her boxing stance. Akane did the same and got into her position to perform the Jūken while veins became distinctive around her Byakugan. The muttering around ceased and a strained silence took over. Both of them didn't move a muscle until they heard the signal from the Commander.

As Shepard took her place right next to Garrus by the Mako, the duel began, „Fight!"

Williams charged at the smaller woman before her with great confidence, wanting to end this fight with one powerful strike to the head which Akane casually deflected with her palm, though wasn't allowed to launch a counter-attack because Williams was quick to follow with a barrage of straight punches, forcing Akane into defence.

„This kid's got good moves," Wrex commented, his gaze fixed at Akane as she redirected a punch from Williams with the inside of her palm.

„And reflexes," Garrus added, to which the krogan nodded.

Akane's muscles hurt a bit from all the blocking, but it was nothing new to her since experiencing pain was part of being a shinobi. This charade continued for the next minute until Akane eventually read through Williams' attack pattern and caught one of the woman's strikes with such ease that it caught the older woman off guard.

„Shit!"

Akane held William's clenched fist in a firm grip as she launched a strike at Williams elbow joint. Much to the surprise of her opponent including the audience, Akane didn't strike with a punch but a strong tap of her fingers. Unbeknown to the rest, Akane injected a small amount of chakra into Williams' nervous system before the Chief broke out of the grip with enough force and fell back; catching her breath to initiate another assault.

„What's the matter, kid?! This was your first chance to land a solid hit on me." Williams spoke in a breathy voice, partly confused why the kid didn't take the chance, partly glad that she didn't.

The young shinobi was aware of that, though little did she know what Akane had planned for her. It was Akane's turn to be on the offence, but Williams wasn't the type to be cornered that easy, so it turned out into an all-out brawl between the two.

Akane took the most damage out of the two in every exchange as the first bruises appeared on the Uchiha's face, while the Chief seemed to receive only minimal external damage. Or so Akane made it look like. Her preparations were finished once she surgically injected tiny bits of chakra all across Williams nervous network and waited for the right opportunity to win this fight.

The opportunity came when Williams changed tactics and grabbed Akane by the front of her black cloak, and hooked one of her legs behind Akane's in order to throw her off balance when she pushed forward. Akane saw early enough through her move and dragged the Chief with her, only to use the ground as leverage to kick Williams so hard in her stomach that she groaned in pain, then Akane expertly rolled backwards and pushed Williams away with all her strength into the lockers.

The Uchiha got swiftly back on her feet and ran over to the chief to finalize her plan as Williams pulled out one last strike to prevent Akane's approach which the young Uchiha minutely dodged. As she finally hit Williams forehead with her palm, which was coated in lightning enhanced chakra, it triggered a response from all the small chakra bits Akane infused into Williams to shut down her nervous system. Williams landed on the ground with a grunt.

Akane took a deep breath and all the muttering that broke out over her rather unexpected victory got lost behind a round of applause.

„The victory goes to Akane!" Shepard announced as she walked towards where the unmoving Chief laid.

* * *

Shepard POV

Jane wasn't all that shocked, which couldn't be said about the others though. She knew the girl was strong, though defeating an experienced alliance soldier with only her palms was even for the Hero of the Blitz a cause for bewilderment. By careful observation, she had assumed that Akane was using some type of martial arts; presumably, a Chinese martial art judging from the circular movements. Plus, ignoring the fact the way the girl's veins near her temples bulge protruded and that some kind of lightning emitted from parts of her body.

Still, it was by no means short of prodigious how Akane fought for her age. She might – no was - even better than Shepard was at her age when she had enlisted into the Alliance straight as a street kid. The issue was, who she should be sent next to battle her? She was tempted to do the job herself, after considering her options. Kaidan wouldn't be able to fight her since he owed her his life and sending Wrex at her was not a good idea for various reasons.

The last thing she needed was to get the Normandy fixed when they had a legendary Spectre to hunt down.

„Garrus, you're up next." Shepard looked over at the turian leaning against the Mako. He nonchalantly nodded, though chose not to disobey the Commander's orders. Jane's eyes glanced back at Akane, whose gaze rested at the incoming turian.

„Have you fought a turian before?"

„No," Akane replied off the bat.

„This will be fun to watch," Wrex commented.

Jane expected as much when she had noted the analysing look in the girl's white eyes, though she made approval how the veins stood out so much on the skin around her strange eyes. Jane trusted that the C-Sec Officer was as good in hand-to-hand as he was with the gun, proving to be a harder opponent to beat than the Chief was for Akane. It was obvious that Akane held back in the previous fight, so Jane intended to draw out everything from the girl by sending a stronger opponent who would force her to step out of her comfort zone. As the Commander of the ship, she had to know the full extent of her crew's abilities to correctly evaluate who to take on a mission.

And even if she didn't intend for Akane to join the crew, hence the condition, she knew she would pass her trial either way, because that's how powerful she was. It was a gut feeling. For a brief moment, she wondered if this was the feeling Anderson had gotten when he forwarded her for the N7 course after Elysium.

„You know the rules." Jane went back to her usual spot, signalling off the fight after she had ordered Kaidan to carry Williams to the med-bay.

* * *

The voices of the onlookers quieted down to mere murmurs as the second round began. The young Uchiha hadn't had the chance to fight an alien; on the other hand, she had, if she considered humans as an alien which they were, in theory. Her assumption about human physiology was almost correct; they were weaker than an average shinobi. In strength such as in every other physical aspect. Chief Williams' attacks were strong, albeit by human standards but still not powerful enough to actually damage Akane.

The turians were another story. From what she had gathered about the turians, they seemed far more dangerous in comparison to humans; to what a scale was about to be tested in this fight, like whether their talons or teeth were sharp enough to permeate her hide or about the protective metallic carapace. Well, either way, she swept her eyes up and down Garrus as he assumed a fighting position, pointing out some possible lethal points on his body.

He remained patient as he began circling Akane's small figure. Waiting for an opening in the shinobi's defence he would not find. His talons were secured by the clothes of his armour and he didn't seem to use them as a weapon any time soon.

„You can remove your gloves if you want," Akane called out, bringing him to a halt.

„I rather not, we wouldn't want – how do you humans say it? – to harm a hair on your head?" His mandibles flared up, making an expression equivalent of a smirk.

He was trying to provoke her into action. Not gonna happen if she didn't gain anything from it. For a moment she thought that he had gotten the tip from the krogan, but was prevented to do so as Garrus swiftly closed the distance. She had tried her Jūken on him, alas it didn't have the same effect as on humans; logical since the being she was fighting had a completely different body structure. His rougher skin and plating prevented most of the chakra from being injected into the body, thus negating the main impact of the Gentle Fist through physical contact.

Akane admitted that he was quicker on his feet than she initially gave his race credit for. His movement was controlled, not giving her enough time to do a counter, but still enough space to act. He had observed her well, or rather her fighting style. He had her at a disadvantage, though that had never truly stopped her before. She had a premonition that Garrus wouldn't be the last opponent she would have to face today, so the Commander must have sent him from one out of two reasons; either the Commander wanted desperately for Akane to lose (yet still appear fair, since she didn't pick the krogan) or get a glimpse of her abilities.

She shouldn't get too distracted by her own presumptions in the middle a fight; a solid hit to her stomach was more than a sweet reminder to stop that line of thought and concentrate her efforts on the more pressing matter. Haruko had once pointed out that she had the tendency to overthink things during their sparring sessions; in other words, a weakness. Instead of receiving the damage, she let herself to be blown backwards in order to put a considerable distance between them by backflipping into a safe distance. It bought her some time to put up her defence and regroup.

Garrus continued with his line of punches, though it was evident that they weren't meant to hurt. She would make him regret that. The Uchiha ducked as the turian threw a large swing from his left, then followed with a quick straight punch to her chest which she easily deflected. She was going to end it in some other fashion; since her Jūken was rendered useless, for now. Akane used Garrus' outstretched arm to lift herself up in order to trap the turian's head between her legs. She used her body weight as a propelling force to be able to throw his larger body with a rotational movement on the ground. Akane's legs were small enough to be able to fit in between his mandibles and carapace, so she could resume her pressure on his windpipe.

Akane was taken back by his full strength as he tried to break her hold on his throat. He almost succeeded wouldn't it be for Akane's enhanced strength.

„I... give... up." he croaked out in a strained voice, forcing air back into his lungs as Akane released him.

„I have never seen a turian laying on the floor in such a short time, though it was quite a sight." The krogan laughed as well as others from the staff who joined him as Garrus managed to get back on his feet.

„What ridiculous strength." he stared dumbfounded, not believing to be knocked down from a human in a blink of an eye. Shepard sagely nodded.

„Such fights got my krogan blood pumping, and my skin itching for a fight! Tell me I can fight her!"

„Not today, pal." Jane dismissed his proposal.

„Come on! Why not?" His tone wasn't threatening, yet a hint of a challenge was there.

„Because I will be her last opponent." The Commander declared, her eyes of steel leaving no room for further objections.

* * *

Words dictionary:

Jūken 柔拳 / Gentle Fist \- Is a form of hand-to-hand combat used by members of the Hyūga clan. It inflicts internal damage through attacking the body's Chakra Pathway System, subsequently injuring organs which are closely intertwined with the area of the network which has been struck. To do this, the user surgically injects a certain amount of their own chakra into the opponent's chakra pathway system, causing damage to surrounding organs due to their proximity to the chakra circulatory system. Even the slightest tap can cause severe internal damage, hence the name "gentle" fist.

* * *

Author's notes: So I thought really hard about a possible partner for Shepard and came with the idea of putting her and Admiral Hackett together at some point in the story (you gotta admit, he's badass), though you will have to forgive me if it's poorly written cause it will be my first try at romance and, to be honest, I sadly haven't gotten any experience from my personal life I could rely on. So, wish me luck. Oh, and I am very grateful for the positive feedback you've been giving me ever since the story began.


	13. Our Newest Crew Member

„ _Thinking_ "

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: SSV Normandy SR-1 – Third Deck - Engineer and Storage room

„If you say so, Boss."

It was enough to satisfy the krogan for now. Akane was left unimpressed, she had anticipated that things would turn out like this. Still, she wasn't expecting the Commander herself to volunteer as her final opponent. It could only mean she wanted to get this done by her own hand. With her biotics, she would prove to be, by far, Akane's most challenging opponent.

The Commander was dressed in a similar way to Chief Williams, the black military attire fitting her muscled frame like second skin as she cramped up the sleeves of her shirt. Her untamed fiery short hair loosely hanging down as she got into position. Akane followed shortly after. She skimmed her Byakugan at the Commander's body, taking in the eezo nodules scattered throughout her nervous system.

„ _This will be tough. What should I do?_ "

The young Uchiha tried to come up with a strategy as she saw how strangely dispersed the points were in comparison to the tenketsu she was used to seeing. The tenketsu of every shinobi had the same systematical pattern whereas Shepard's eezo nodules didn't follow any pattern she could relate to. She would have to create an opening of some sort, however, against such a seasoned soldier like Shepard would prove to be difficult. 

_In a battle between shinobi, the most important thing is how well you can deceive your enemy with false information._

That was what Haruko once told her after he had won one out of their countless sparring matches. Thinking back she had always lost to him when it came down to a one-on-one fight. His profound usage of the Hiraishin no Jutsu was brilliant and he'd hone ordinary jutsu like the Shunshin no Jutsu to such an extent that every move seemed like a fake because of the fluency of his movements; like a refined dance. The only way for Akane to keep up with him was with her Raiton: Chakura Mōdo and even then, he was still slightly faster.

However, she needed to consider that this was not a fight between two shinobi; where lives were on the line. This was a normal sparring match between her and the Commander of the Normandy. There was no need to endanger anyone's life; not hers or Shepard's. Despite that, there was one thing that she knew for certain; she had to win this no matter what.

* * *

Shepard set out at the smaller woman who had been clad in this long-sleeved black cloak ever since she had met her at Eden Prime. She made sure to put her harsh training of an N7 to good use in this fight. The previous fights were educational enough for Shepard to pick up her fighting style no matter how unusual it seemed at first. Akane's rhythm was just as Shepard knew it would be, yet she noticed one weak point in her tightened guard as she threw wild punches of raw power in the Uchiha's direction. A blocking habit, perhaps?

Her swings were too wide like Williams', powerful and difficult to read, but unfocused unlike Akane's style, though Shepard's return was fast enough not to allow Akane a chance for a counter. Her punches didn't connect with one another altogether cause of the girl's impressive evasive manoeuvres. Still, there were many ways to tip your opponent off balance at any given second. Shepard applied more variety into her attacks as Akane began adjusting to her attack pattern. Mixing in some kicks and spinning attacks in order to break through her lasting defence.

In wasn't just a one-man show kind of fight, even with the Commander applying insane pressure at the younger female, Akane landed a few solid hits on her own during every exchange, yet nothing Shepard's biotic barrier couldn't block out. Yes, she did use her biotics when everything else failed to work on the girl.

„Now that's just dirty, Commander. Using biotics against a kid, really?" Garrus teased through the cheers of the crew when Shepard used her swift footing to fall back a little and shot a playful grin at the turian.

„Let her! It's not against the rules anyway, and besides, what good would it do if they didn't go all out?" Wrex barked back at the turian.

She saw her moment when she successfully trapped the wide-eyed Uchiha helplessly in the air with her Lift and charged at her full force with a fake jab from her right, forcing Akane to focus her guard to her left while simultaneously leaving that one weak point she had pointed out earlier wide-open.

„Right there!" Shepard took all her strength to give the girl a massive biotic round kick to her ribs. The direct impact was evident by the pained cry that escaped the girl's hidden lips. Shepard was certain of her victory, just like everyone else, or so it looked like. Until they realized it wasn't Akane hitting the ground, but Shepard. It was an unexpected turn of events in such a short amount of time, and it happened so fast that most of the crew, plus Shepard herself, hadn't picked up on it.

A round of confusion was heard over the rambunctious storage deck. The Commander struggled to get back up, her face cringing in pain as blood trickled down her side of the face.

„Oh wow, you're still conscious?" The young woman's cool voice reached Shepard's ear even through the havoc. Picking up what little astonishment there was in her monotone voice.

With a loud grunt, the Commander stood up on shaky legs. Her vision was blurry, putting great effort to see more than just a bunch of colours. Her head hurt as if she got headbutted by a krogan, yet she couldn't evoke a single memory of it. Probably because there were none. One moment she remembered hitting Akane with her biotic kick, the next she found herself half-unconscious on the floor. Beyond that, there was nothing. An approaching shadow made her hung down head snap up. Akane had closed the distance between them, only now the Spectre noticed just how quietly the girl moved altogether.

„Did you know that when you kicked me, you raised up your guard arm? It's like your making your own blind spot." It wasn't meant as mockery, more like an analysis.

„ _Wait! She used my own blind spot to attack?_ " Shepard mulled over the girl's words. On second thought, it would explain why she hadn't seen her attack coming in the first place. But this could only mean that...

„Hang on, so that means your blocking habit was," the Commander spoke up when Akane finished her sentence, getting on what Shepard was implying, „was a fake to make you kick me with your left leg."

„And when you got hit by my biotics," Shepard pried further, trying to wrap her head around it even when it was throbbing like the day after the mission on Eden Prime.

„It was all an act to make you focus on my 'blocking habit' as you called it," Akane explained smoothly, closing in what little distance there was left between them. To what reason, Jane didn't know, though she was too distracted from the pain to contemplate about things like that. Later perhaps, she would have to pay a short visit to doctor Chakwas to check up on her.

„Does this mean I am qualified enough to join your crew, Ma'am?" Akane inquired, getting Shepard back to the main reason she had begun this 'deal' in the first place.

Shepard looked over at Wrex and Garrus, before asking out loud, „What do you guys think!? Is she suited to be a member?"

„You're the Commander, Shepard. A deal is a deal, welcome abroad kid." Wrex reminded her with a shrug of his massive shoulders, ignoring the glare Akane shot at him for not calling her by name before he assumed his place next to the lockers. Shepard chuckled at that, feeling the pain slightly lighten in the back of her head.

„What about you, Garrus?" Shepard asked the turian who tinkered with his omni-tool near the mako.

„Huh? Oh, sorry Commander. Besides my wounded pride, I think she has earned her place, though like Wrex already said, the choice is yours to make, Commander." he responded casually.

„You heard them," Akane watched the Commander straighten up a bit with a genuine smile adorning her lips, „welcome abroad, Akane Uchiha." She offered a handshake which Akane took without hesitating.

„What about the rest, Ma'am?" Akane followed the Commander into the elevator.

„I don't think you have to worry about them that much. They will have their personal opinion, however, they're under my command so they will have to accept whatever decision I make." They arrived at the second deck, where Shepard showed her the crew's quarters and assigned her her own sleeping pod. They talked a bit about a thing or two before the Commander gave her some privacy.

„I will be in the med-bay if you need anything." Shepard gave her a thumbs up before disappearing behind a wall. When Akane was sure that nobody would accidentally jump on her, she released a tired sigh she didn't realize she had been holding. She got out of her cloak, making her body shiver slightly from the temperature before resting it on the mattress. Soaking up the small comfort a normal bed offered.

„Maybe this time, there will be no nightmares." She felt her eyelids grew heavier the longer they were open until she submitted to exhaustion and fell asleep.

* * *

Shepard POV

„Dr Chakwas, do you have a moment?" Jane asked as soon as she entered the med-bay.

„Of course, Commander. What do y—„ Her question was cut short when she lifted her eyes off the terminal. Shepard gave her that apologetic smile she always gave her when she got unnecessarily injured. The older woman simply shot a perfectly sculptured brow at her, along with a stern look that rivalled Anderson's in intensity.

„Come and sit down, Commander." Jane did as she was told and sat down on one of the beds inside the med-bay. Dr Chakwas began with some scans, nodding to herself when she found the cause of the Commander's pain.

„I assume we have a new crew member?" Chakwas observed, cleaning off the blood on the Commander's face and neck.

„What gave it away?" Jane's attempt at humour was rewarded with a small chuckle.

„Well, let's start by the tumult your little sparring matches have caused." she sighed, remembering how excited some crew members went back to work.

„Uhm..." Jane hummed, feeling more relaxed when the doc rubbed the medi-gel gently on the back of the Commander's head.

„There is something I wanted to inform you about... regarding Akane Uchiha." Chakwas' tone grew serious.

„Okay, shoot," Jane replied.

„During her last visit on the Normandy, when she was in comatose, my scans revealed more than what I've told you after you've firstly awoken." The doc began explaining.

„Please, don't beat around the bush." Jane grew restless, green eyes pleading humorously at the aged woman to get to the point.

Chakwas seemed to get the hint. „The girl – I mean Akane – isn't human." Jane raised an inquisitive brow at that.

„Her genes are unlike any other species in the galaxy. While humans have a double-stranded DNA structure, Akane seems to have some kind of a mix between quad-strand and double-strand structures. At first glance, the double-stranded DNA resembles a human's, but I detected signs of an extensive genetic rewrite." By the time she finished her interpretation, she had her arms folded on her chest like she always did.

„Okay," Jane understood nothing more than one or two words from the doc's biological explanation, „a translation might be needed."

„Strengthened muscle tissue, increased muscle density and flexibility, increased bone and muscle growth, increased physical capabilities along with an inner unidentified energy source and the list goes on. In other words, Commander – a super-soldier." She elaborated so someone like Shepard would understand it.

A long-lasting silence overtook them. It took Jane some time to somehow process this.

„Why didn't you warn me sooner?" Jane's commander mask slipped back into place, covering a slight feeling of betrayal she felt ridiculous to have associated with Chakwas.

„Honestly, Commander. I had a hard time believing it myself; to the point, I thought my omni-tool had a malfunction. Though after performing an excessive amount of scans over and over again, and saw that the results weren't changing whatsoever, there was no way not to believe it." Chakwas' facial features softened a little.

„And off-the-record, Commander?" She waited for the Commander to approve. When Jane nodded, she continued, „After all that trauma you went through on Eden Prime, I didn't want to put more trouble onto you than you already had with the Council." She averted her eyes from the red-head, considering, before focusing them back on Jane's green orbs.

„As the CMO of this ship, I care about the crew's well-being and you, my dear," she pointed a finger at her, „are by no means an exception." The honesty behind the doc's words left Jane with no room to argue.

„Roger that, doc." Jane gave her a small salute as Chakwas patted her shoulder in a friendly gesture.

„There, off you go, Commander." She again checked her head for reassurance that the medi-gel did its work. The older woman removed herself from the Commander's side and walked over to her terminal.

„Thank you, Dr Chakwas." Shepard thanked, already half-way through the med-bay when she was called out one more time by the CMO.

„Commander before you go, shall I inform the Council or Alliance of our new discovery?" Shepard stopped in the middle of the entrance, taking the option into careful consideration. Since Eden Prime – no – since meeting the mysterious girl on a geth infested battlefield, Jane had this feeling that there was not only one thing, but everything off about her.

At first glance, any normal person would think she was blind by the way her eyes didn't show any kind of another colour than white. Then there was the way she was dressed; a simple long-sleeved cloak which kept most of her body hidden from the outside, yet with no proper armour whatsoever. More importantly, who wore sandals these days? Or used swords when there was mass effect technology. Swords!

Odd. Simply odd. Akane, as well as the others, should better be prepared cause Jane was going to shower them with tons of questions from this point on. They were her crew after all, and if she was going to trust them with her life, she better should know at least something about them.

„No, not yet." Akane had become a rightful member of her crew, Jane wasn't going to hand her out to the Council nor the Alliance until Akane herself wished it. And if someone did find out, she would use her authority as a Spectre to cover this up somehow. She owed Akane this much for saving Kaidan's life back then on Eden Prime. She honestly couldn't fathom what she would have done if she had lost even Kaidan on that day.

„As you wish, Commander." With that being said, Jane left the med-bay, her feet carrying her to her quarters.

„Joker set course to Therum. I am going to take a nap." Jane ordered through her comm while getting out of her alliance issue clothing. It was a bit sweaty, so she tossed it into the laundry basket before all but throwing herself onto her bed.

„You better take one, Commander." She heard Joker trying to make a funny comment about her sparring match with the newest crew member, but managed to warn him soon enough before she would storm out her quarters with nothing more than tank top and panties on.

„Joker..." she said threateningly.

„This is the part where I should probably shut up before you break any of my bones... again," Joker commented.

„Hey, the last time was by accident! I didn't know you were so fragile, Flight Lieutenant." Jane objected with barely contained humour as she closed her eyes.

„For the record, Commander. It's called Vrolik syndrome or brittle bone disease, and at least I wasn't the one who got his ass kicked by a teenager." The helmsman countered, but his remark fell on deaf ears because Jane had already fallen asleep.

* * *

Words dictionary:

Hiraishin no Jutsu 飛雷神の術 / Flying Thunder God Technique \- Is a space-time ninjutsu created by Tobirama Senju. By entering a dimensional void, users can instantly teleport to a technique formula's location whenever they please, regardless of distance. Before the Flying Thunder God Technique can be performed, users must first mark a target with their "technique formula" (jutsu-shiki 術式 ). The formula is applied after the merest touch and cannot be removed; it will remain in place even after the user has died.

Shunshin no Jutsu 瞬身の術 = Body Flicker Technique

Tenketsu 点穴 = Chakra Points


	14. The First Mission

„ _Thinking_ "

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

_From: Admiral Steven Hackett_

_To: Commander Jane Shepard_

_Subject: Human Spectre_

_Congratulations on your election into the Council Spectres. Stay in touch and keep up the good work. You've made humanity proud, Commander._

_Hackett out._

* * *

Location: Arcturus Stream - Arcturus - Arcturus Station

Hackett POV

This was all he managed to say to her? Nothing more than a few sentences she was probably tired of hearing by now? He felt his body slump into his chair at his private office on Arcturus station. He saw the live feed on his terminal, or rather there wasn't a single soul on the Alliance who probably hadn't at least watched it – watched her on this memorable day as she marched forward to the three Councilours when they called out her name.

Her posture had straightened and not even once had he seen her face showing more than professionalism, even when dealing with three of the most influential identities in Citadel Space; her expression had remained a mask of calm and confidence. She had been a brilliant soldier, there was nothing that could prove him or anyone else in the galaxy otherwise. But she was just as skilled regarding political affairs, though the Commander herself would disagree in that matter. A rare find in a soldier these days. Of course, that was only a fraction of attributes Shepard possessed as a person.

The moment the camera angle had rested on her fully, his main focus rested on her face. He would probably never tire of seeing her ever since he had laid his icy blue eyes on her all those years ago – seven if he remembered correctly.

Her career had begun in the minds of the people desperate to be rescued from the attack on Elysium. There, in amidst the chaos, in the darkest hours of the Alliance's oldest colony – a star was born. A star which light had been illuminating the galaxy – his galaxy – ever since.

The first time he had met her was on a stage after the Skyllian Blitz. She was awarded the Star of Terra, by him personally. He had been, first and foremost captivated by her unique forest-green eyes. If it hadn't been for the applause, he would have probably been caught staring. He had brushed it off as one-time thing, though that 'one-time thing' turned out to be something more than he had initially expected.

He didn't believe in something like love on first sight. It was something for the young and naive. No, he wouldn't define his attraction to Shepard that way and to be honest, he was beginning to think he was too old for any of this. It was more like the red-head had ignited a small spark from somewhere deep within him that he himself didn't even know to have. Until his feelings stoked that spark she had left in him into a fire he had a hard time containing whenever she was near.

But he was a Fleet Admiral, and she was the first human Spectre and a paragon of humanity to top it all of. Would the galaxy approve of their relationship? No, that was the very least of his concerns. More importantly; would Jane be interested in him too? Is the age difference too big between them? What about fraternization? What about...

Hackett heaved a sigh of discontent, seemingly wanting to disappear into the chair. His back hurt from the position, but he didn't care.

It was a funny thing considering he was the legendary Admiral Hackett. A damn Admiral who could command entire fleets with ease yet was too terrified to confess his feelings to the only woman in the galaxy he got his heart set on. Pathetic. Looking back, the matters of the heart had never been his strong suit. In his younger days, he was fully concentrated on his career other than the occasional fling. Never really leaving any space for romance or other things until Jane Shepard stumbled into his life.

In his mussing, he didn't take notice of the secretary that entered his office before she stood directly in front of his desk, trying to get his attention. Hackett quickly pushed the send button and tried not to look like he had any inner conflicts just a second ago.

„Sir, Ambassador Donnel Udina and Captain Anderson are requesting a meeting with you," she informed, waiting for his response. Perfect timing.

„I'll be there in five, dismissed." He nodded, then watched as the secretary left his office. It's better if he busied his thoughts in a meaningful way rather than getting swallowed up whole.

* * *

Location: SSV Normandy SR-1 – Second Deck – Captain's quarters

Shepard POV

Jane sat by her terminal in the captain's quarters. Her quarters, since she had taken over the position from Anderson and read through her inbox of messages. When her eyes picked up one from Admiral Hackett, she hesitated slightly before opening it. Carefully reading the message, she couldn't stop the wave of self-satisfaction flooding over her for a moment. Admiral Hackett, basically a living legend and in her opinion, an incredibly handsome man (especially in dress blues; scratch that, he looked sexy in everything), gave her a compliment.

Jane usually wouldn't get too hyped up from a simple compliment, though that depended on the person. The sentiment was appreciated, nevertheless unnecessary, except if it came from Anderson or Hackett. She considered Anderson something like a father figure from day one, so it was obvious that she would want to make him proud. But when it came to the Admiral, she didn't have any particular idea as to why he had such an effect on her. Yes, she freely admitted that she had some sort of crush on him when she was a young marine though she thought it would fade over time. Only it did not. Not even the slightest. She still felt the same 'thing' she had always felt.

„God emotions can be so troublesome!" Jane ruffled through her red hair in annoyance, failing to make sense of everything.

„Ugh, I need some air." The Commander removed herself from the terminal in order to begin her rounds around the ship. Kind of her way of socializing with the crew to get to know them better.

She was in the middle of leaving when she the thought struck her that it probably wasn't such a good idea to leave the Admiral hanging with no response, so she jogged back and typed a simple but sincere reply.

* * *

_From: Commander Jane Shepard_

_To: Admiral Steven Hackett_

_Subject: Re: Human Spectre_

_Thank you and will do, Sir._

* * *

Location: SSV Normandy SR-1 – Second Deck – Crew quarters

Akane woke up by nearing footsteps and a faint smell of food, her Byakugan was deactivated so she couldn't make out who they belonged to or who was cooking in the mess. Her body was on high alert, expecting any kind of attack from times when she had lost safe shelter and was forced to survive for two years on the outside with nothing but reaper forces in plain sight. Even the slightest noise could wake her up.

She took a few deep slow breaths to calm herself when another sound interrupted her peace. That was her stomach growling. No wonder when her body had been receiving nutrients only through life support during the last few days and she hadn't had any chance to buy something from her little escapades on the Citadel because she was as poor as a church mouse. Plus the scent of real cooked food didn't help either.

„ _God, this smells good!_ " She jumped off the bed with renewed vigour. Her taste buds were literally on fire and she felt the inside of her mouth getting wetter each passing second. But still, even the hunger wasn't enough to make her forget her training as a shinobi, though she came close, and the thought frightened her a bit.

She watched the quarian in the ultraviolet suit silently from the shadows. Tali'Zorah nar Rayya was her name, if she remembered correctly, though she was worried she'd gotten the pronunciation wrong at some point. She obviously didn't seem to mind the Commander calling her not by her full name but rather just by Tali, yet that didn't mean Akane had the same right as the Commander. She noted to ask the quarian about it if a conversation occurred between them, which was unavoidable since the Normandy was so small. But then again, it's her first time on a spacecraft so she only had this one reference.

„Excuse me, Ma'am." Seeing no use in standing hidden, the young Uchiha said out loud and clear to get her attention. Tali jumped slightly, then calmly turned around in the direction where Akane stood. And simply stared without any reply, which Akane took as a bad sign.

„I am sorry, Ma'am, but have I offended you of any sort?" she asked politely, waking the quarian out of her stupor.

„Keelah, no! I was just surprised that's all." Akane saw a glimpse of the direction of Tali's eyes behind the coloured glass and it slowly dawned on her.

„ _Kami above, and I call myself a shinobi?_ " There was no stopping the frown appearing on her face. She forgot to activate her Byakugan! Of course, anybody who had seen her without would have noticed. Well, at least it wasn't the Commander. Akane could still lie, albeit reluctantly. She had what it takes to lie, yet refrained from making use of it, especially on allies.

„I didn't know humans could change their eye colour," Tali stated, her voice coming off a bit mechanical through the filters of her helmet. The Uchiha pondered for a sufficient answer. Then spoke, „Not all humans. It is a rare genetic mutation."

It was the truth, even if only by a fraction. She couldn't possibly reveal anything about her Byakugan or Sharingan. It was too soon when they still shared mutual distrust.

„I see, oh and, don't call me 'Ma'am'... I am far too-"

„Then 'Miss'," Akane interjected, making the quarian stutter comically. It forced a small smile to appear on her callous expression.

„Uh, well, I suppose it's acceptable," Tali somewhat retorted, „though I've never been called that before." Akane raised her brows at that.

„Since quarians are considered as second class citizens, the other races don't pay us much respect or regard as the Council races ever since we've been deprived of our homeworld," Tali explained in a neutral tone that held a small disappointed edge to it.

Akane stumbled over such information during her little information scavenging on the Citadel, though she seemed to have made a correct guess about the info badges leaving much out, especially sensitive information the government didn't want the citizen to know. That much hadn't changed through time.

„I had no knowledge of it." The young Uchiha walked closer to get a glimpse of what the quarian was cooking.

„At this point, I thought it a common thing to know about us." She snorted, showing openly how displeased she was with the image the galaxy had of her people. It somehow ignited a long lost spark of genuine curiosity in the young shinobi, wanting eagerly to know more about Tali's species in general.

„If Miss nar Rayya allows, I would like to learn more about your people," Akane asked as politely as she mustered, this was her only opportunity to learn more facts about the background of the quarian race from a more believable source, so why not use it?

„Since you asked nicely. Our lives aren't easy. Resources are scarce and we are constantly on the move. Everything we do must in some way contributes to the continuation of the Migrant Fleet." Tali began her presentation, and she made sure to remember it to detail.

For she knew Tali wouldn't lie to her, not without her knowing of it. The system in which they've been functioning was somewhat close to what the Konoha's civilians did if they wouldn't choose to join the ranks of shinobi. There weren't many who did, but the few that did had more than their own personal reasons to join them.

„There are seventeen million quarians in the flotilla, and each of us relies on the other for survival. The bonds among my people are strong." Akane could only imagine, not having experienced anything similar.

„Unfortunately, we have had to surrender many of the freedoms and civil liberties other species take for granted."

„Such as?" Akane cut in briefly.

„Well, it's illegal for a parent to have more than one child. If our population grows too much, it would strain our resources to their breaking point."

Ah, birth control. It wasn't something the alliance had to cope with. There had always been attempts to distance themselves from extinction with their diminishing numbers.

„Of course, we also can't allow our numbers to become too few. If our population is in decline, the rule against single births is temporarily repealed. In extreme cases of population decline, incentives are even offered to encourage multiple births. Though the Conclave hasn't had to take such measures in nearly a century." she added, making Akane eager to know what that Conclave, she had mentioned seconds ago, meant.

„Let me guess, it's some kind of government of yours?" Akane speculated aloud, letting the quarian fill in the answer.

„Close, but not correct. It more like a civilian branch of our government. Each ship can elect a representative to serve on the Conclave and make decisions that affect the fleet as a whole." Akane didn't miss how Tali's tone lightened up when talking about her people. She seemed to be upbeat the more she delved into detail, switching from politics up to how they created the Geth.

Both of them were so engrossed in the topic that they've lost track of time until a familiar voice bellowed through the speakers of the spacecraft, „I hate to interrupt your little chat but the Commander wants you to come to the cargo hold. Looks like someone is going on a mission, kid."

„Thank you, Sir...?"

„It's Jeff Moreau, but call me Joker." he introduced himself properly.

„Thank you, Sir Moreau."

„Okay, drop that 'Sir' or we'll have a problem," he said in his sarcastic manner but underlying it with a threatening tone, „because I suddenly feel twenty years older when you address me like that."

„As you wish, Mister Moreau." She heard him groan in frustration, ending with Tali letting out a giggle.

„Whatever." Joker cut off the connection, leaving Akane alone with Tali again.

„If you'll excuse me, Miss nar Rayya." Akane bowed slightly, turning around to meet up with Commander Shepard when Tali spoke up from behind her, „Akane...?"

„Yes, Miss nar Rayya?"

„Just... be careful, alright?" Tali said quietly, her gaze fixed on the floor while fiddling with her hands. The sentiment made Akane warm around the heart. It had passed some time since anyone cared for her well-being.

„I will and your meal is on fire." Akane pointed out. Chuckling to herself as Tali called out, "Keehla!"

Seemed like she wasn't that hungry after all. 


	15. That Time On An Asteroid

„ _Thinking_ "

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: SSV Normandy SR-1 – Third Deck - Engineer and Storage room

Soon, the young Uchiha joined up with the others in the cargo hold, this time with her Byakugan in place. The Commander was already clothed in the same armour she had had on Eden Prime when she chatted with Wrex and Garrus about the mission. They were both in the same attire they have always been in, bringing Akane to the conclusion must have been only in their armour ever since joining Commander Shepard's mission to defeat the rogue Spectre Saren.

Her speech was incredible, to say the least. If, it exceeded everything Akane read up on the Commander through the extranet. It wasn't as hard for Akane to navigate through the omni-tool's interface thanks to having used something similar (although not so advanced as the omni-tool) during her time.

Her arrival was followed with a crisp and short debrief of the upcoming mission. Just as Akane liked it. No breath was wasted on unnecessary details. While Wrex and Garrus made their way into the Mako, Akane was offered armour and a weapon of her choice which she declined except for the weapon. She was never really a fan of armour, not even during their war for survival. It weighed her down too much and restricted her movements for most of the time.

As for the weapon, she decided to go with a simple pistol. It was light and practical, though she was afraid to not make much use of it since her aim left much to desire. Lastly, she was given a breathing mask because they didn't have her size for a helmet and she couldn't very well go out into space without oxygen.

She let out a deep breath, drawing a snide remark from the krogan seated right next to her, „Already getting chills kid?"

„No," Akane answered, sounding unimpressed even though the prospect of going into space made her blood run cold.

It wasn't that fear of dying was the issue, she had more than enough experience with near-death situations to be afraid of something petty like death. Though she would rather avoid it, for the sake of the promise to her sister. The issue lied within the choice of terrain.

She could fight everywhere. Hell even in fucking air she moved like a bird. But space was on an entirely different stage. Nothing that she had learnt to do on solid ground applied to empty space. The vast void plays based on different rules; rules even Akane had to obey at some point.

She was confident in her abilities, otherwise, she wouldn't be still walking among the living and was aware of her strengths and weakness. Yet too much confidence may result into her becoming aloof or cocky and underestimate the situation without anybody like Haruko to keep her feet on the ground. Frankly, she was worried about her performance on the battlefield.

It also didn't help that the Commander's driving skills rivalled that of a roller coaster once the Mako was dropped off the spacecraft. At some point, Akane began questioning how the Commander even got her drivers license as she hit her head what seemed like the fourth time on the walls of the infantry fighting vehicle. Besides that and her growing irritation, nothing noteworthy happened when they moved on the asteroid's grey surface (at least from what she could tell with her Byakugan).

The same woman who had sent the distress signal was keeping them frequently updated, though she had made it clear that whoever was behind this was close to locating her whereabouts. Still, they couldn't simply rush in without knowing anything about the invaders, so the Commander's first step was to reinstall the connection between the transmission tower and the several survey stations around the fusion torches.

Akane could tell that in none of them had been remaining signs of life even before the Commander took a quick look at them. Finding nothing more than the limp bodies of brutally executed humans; former engineers. The young Uchiha watched Shepard's expression as she did so and supposed that she already had a guess at who the enemy was even when Akane remained clueless.

As soon as they ended their investigation on the last survey station, without further delay, they headed to the nearest fusion torch and were quick to react to the unusual turrets which sensory systems made them emerge from underground when picking up their approach.

„Garrus grab the machine gun and shred the turrets to pieces for Wrex to finish them with the cannon!" Shepard swiftly barked out orders at the two aliens.

Akane had to use chakra to keep herself from wildly thrashing from one side to the other as Shepard initiated evasive manoeuvres. The situation calmed down once the Commander halted right in front of the large conformation next to the fusion torch.

„Correct me if I am wrong but I smell batarians behind this." Garrus pointed out while hacking his way into the building. Perhaps it was intuition or experience from his time working as a C-Sec Officer, she could only guess. Nevertheless, Akane chose to stay silent, already expecting another remark from the krogan yet much to her surprise, Wrex didn't say anything.

„And here I had hoped, but you're right. I suspected as much too." Shepard reacted as they entered the structure.

„ _So these are batarians._ " The Uchiha noted, observing the, to her unknown aliens with her enhanced sight. While Akane wasn't someone to mind appearances, this time she had to admit that batarians didn't really cut a dash on Akane's beauty list. They were... unique to look at but still had a face only a mother could love with their four eyes and a flat triangle symmetrically ridged vertically place commonly associated with the nose.

Akane snapped out of her mind chat when the Commander silently stalked to the wall next to an open doorway muttering something about 'hating to be always right' while clutching her assault rifle closer to her armoured chest. Wrex was close behind her with his shotgun while Garrus picked a more distant position with his sniper rifle. It prompted the female Uchiha to unsheathe her chokutō. Commander Shepard shot a look at the team that clearly told them to wait for her signal.

The batarians and their ninken, uh pets, or whatever these creatures were called didn't notice them yet, which was strange considering that any animal, in general, should have had already picked up their scent.

„ _There I go overthinking things again when I should focus on the task at hand._ " A mental face-palm was enough for her to set her mind straight.

The Commander raised her hand, then slowly counting down with her fingers for the others to time their surprise attack. When her last finger was about to fall, Akane stole herself away from the team and delved into the embrace of the shadows. She was invisible to allies as well as enemies, using the havoc the rest of the team created in order to jump from one shadow to the other, killing any batarians near her with deadly precision.

As a shinobi, she prefered to do it the quiet way to prevent the enemy from alarming the others. Especially now that they have repaired the connection between the three outposts, giving the batarians a higher chance to warn their allies. Of course, Akane worked on preventing that the best she could while cleaning the upper level of the structure. Perhaps it was Shepard's intent to sent a clear message to the batarians in order to get them into panic or draw their attention from possible hostages.

The skirmish lasted only minutes 'cause of the team's battle expertise and impressive teamwork. Shepard and Wrex provided enough cover fire for Garrus to snipe everyone who was in sight. They had all ranges perfectly occupied and there was no way that the batarians could even get near them. Luckily for Akane, the Commander didn't waste any time trying to figure out what the Uchiha had been doing during the scuffle and went straight ahead to the control panel in one of the rooms on the upper level.

It was a piece of cake for the red-head to disable the first out of three torches when an unexpected call came from the other panels, „I am reading the torch is offline." The familiar voice of a woman stated with a quiet voice.

„Was that you? Can you hear me?" To Akane, it sounded more desperate than the last time she had called. Meaning that they had even less time given that the woman would soon to be discovered by the batarians.

„I hear you. What's going on? Who are you?" Jane asked bluntly, her voice calm and even despite their lack of time.

„My name's Kate Bowman. I'm an engineer. I was part of the team assigned to bring this asteroid to Terra Nova. We've been attacked by batarian extremists. I've been hiding since they arrived." The woman managed to introduce herself and give a quick status report within a few sentences, but the last piece of information made Jane exchange glances with Garrus which didn't go unnoticed by Akane's sharp eyes.

After their silent swap of words, Jane replied in a commanding tone, „Stay put, I'll get those other torches offline as soon as I can."

„Thanks, I'll contact you when I can." Kate bid them farewell which red-head probably didn't pick up which wasn't the only thing that fell on deaf ears by the Commander. As soon as Akane ran after the Commander, she noticed a slight change in the area they had left after the encounter with the batarians.

„ _The entrance doorway was open, so somebody must have closed it. An ambush?_ " It was enough reason for her to use her Byakugan to check up on this.

„Ma'am, please wait!" Akane cried out loud after the almost sprinting Commander before she could reach the doorway. It was a male human in his mid-forties, carefully looking around with a pistol in his hands.

„What is it, Akane?" Jane came to a stop to turn around to look at the shinobi. She waited along with the other two in front of the closed doorway through which they had entered the building not fifteen minutes ago.

„It seems we have company." Akane caught up to them and approached the automatic door for it to swish open. The others took it as a sign of batarian reinforcements and drew their weapons. However, it wasn't the batarians at the entrance... but a human which only made the Commander let out a soft chuckle.

Akane could see the human's muscles tensing under his suit and heard the erratic beating of his heart under the layer of armour. He was afraid but alert, though he seemed to look as if he's ready to shot anything that scares him enough. Which is exactly what happened after Shepard called out to him with a simple 'Hey!'.

For a moment the young Uchiha though this was it for the Commander when the confused male shot her right in the chest and almost cursed her own stupidity and Jane's recklessness for it. But she was pleasantly surprised that she had some sort of shield that had protected her effortlessly from the shot. Why hadn't she noticed it sooner?

„Oh, god! I didn't mean to... are you hurt?" He raised his hands in surrender as he glanced over Shepard's shoulder to see the two aliens eyeing him up.

„Takes more than one shot to bring me down," she assured with a small smile on her lips, releasing the tension that hung in the air for a split of a second.

„Sorry, I didn't even realize you were human until... well. Guess I am not much of a soldier." The man scratched his head a bit of shame.

„The shot wasn't half-bad. I've seen worse from a civilian." Garrus tried to cheer him up a bit.

„I know you're scared. But I'm here to help. Commander Shepard, with the Alliance."

„Simon, Simon Atwell. I'm the chief engineer on this rock. Listen – we don't have much time. The batarians fired up the fusion torches. You've got to shut them down before we hit Terra Nova!" It was enough for Akane's mind to connect the dots of information she had gathered to get a clear picture of the whole situation regarding this mission.

So basically, all they had to do was to get the asteroid off its current course in order to prevent it from destroying an entire human-inhabited region. Plus clear it from batarian extremists and that in less than four hours.

„Fan-fucking-tastic! Well, good luck to us actually pulling off that shit." Akane mumbled under her breath.

„There are four million people down there, Shepard. I – my family." Simon looked down, his voice clouded with worry. Shepard waited patiently for him to compose himself, „They live in Aronas. My kids and grandkids. Nice community. Good schools..." Simon noted ruefully, which made the Commander put a reassuring hand on Simon's shoulder, offering him some words of comfort.

„Batarians everywhere, and we need to shut down all three torches. Anything else we should know?" Akane joined in, her monotone voice letting her seem somewhat cold after everything Simon had told them. Don't get her wrong, she felt sympathy for the human albeit she did not show it freely. Working for the Anbu had this effect on people.

Jane frowned from the wantonness of the younger woman's question and shot her a discontented look which the Uchiha fully ignored. Shepard's look told Akane that they would have to talk about it sometimes later and believe Akane wasn't quite fond of it already but hid her dissatisfaction from Shepard to evade from angering her even further.

Then, Simon warned them about some sort of mines surrounding one of the other two facilities. 'Blasting caps' had Simon called them.

They were prepared to set off when the older human requested from behind them, „One last thing: I had a crew working off-site when the attack hit. I'm worried about them. These batarians are ruthless. I saw them smash the faceplates of guys working vacuum. And those varren... I don't think they always wait for a corpse before feeding."

The request made both the Commander and the shinobi stop in their tracks. If Simon referred to the engineers they had found slaughtered at the survey stations, then what would come next wasn't going to be easy.

The young Uchiha being, unfortunately, more than familiar with this type of things since she had been oncea Buntaichō too opened her mouth to tell Simon about the fate of his colleagues but was stopped by an armoured hand griping her shoulder to the point of pain. Making her head jerk up in response only to be met by a fierce glare from the Commander.

Akane took the obvious warning to heart and shut her mouth. „Any idea where I can find them?" Shepard asked instead of her, easing up her hold on Akane's shoulder until it completely fell off her shoulder.

„ _Goddamn, now I can't feel my arm properly anymore._ " Akane thought as she shook her numb limb a bit to get her blood back pumping through it. Akane didn't expect Shepard to be this furious about her impassive behaviour.

In her opinion, it was better to tell Simon directly what had happened to his friends, no need to further drag it out if the outcome wasn't going to change anyway. But she could think that only for herself since she wasn't in charge. She had to obey, just as they had taught her to do so.

„Time's running short. I better get moving." Shepard finally said to Simon. Akane hadn't noticed that it was only her left in the room with the Commander. Garrus and Wrex must have gone ahead while Akane had been occupied with her own thoughts again.

„I think I'll make myself scarce in case any batarians come back. Good luck, Shepard." With that, they parted ways with each going into the opposite direction.

Following after Shepard, they have left the building to join the rest of the crew in the Mako. Akane would have to be more considering her choice of words in the near future if she didn't want to get on Shepard's bad side right from the first mission.

* * *

Words dictionary:

Ninken 忍犬 = Ninja Dogs \- Are essentially dogs that have heightened senses and abilities, and as such, are able to work alongside shinobi.

Buntaichō 分隊長 = The leader of a team or squad leader within the Anbu; a position held in high regard.


	16. The Final Boss Awaits

„ _Thinking_ "

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: Exodus Cluster - Asgard System - Asteroid X57 – M35 Mako

Since that little, minor 'disagreement' as Akane called it, with Commander Shepard, neither had spoken much to the other. Akane wondered if she should apologize, but thought different of it when she saw that Shepard wasn't being angry with her, although she was really intrigued as to the reason Shepard reacted the way she did back then. She thought that alliance soldiers followed similar rules as shinobi did where emotions are considered unnecessary things.

Judging by her experience with alliance soldiers up until now, she had been in the wrong. Neither Chief Williams nor even the Commander had shown to have full control over their emotions at certain times during a mission. Like Williams had lashed out on Powell at Eden Prime or Shepard letting her guard down in front of the same person who nearly killed her, albeit unintentionally. Well, even if their expertise in modern warfare was admirable, they weren't exactly ninja material, not like Akane had expected them to be anyways.

She really needed to get it into her head that this wasn't her world anymore and that everything had changed or she would follow the old ways for the rest of her life. No matter how short it may be or how hard it was to become. Giving it some thought, she should better start now because the mission wasn't going to get any easier at this point.

They had managed to get rid of the second fusion torch exactly like the first one, well, not exactly because in addition to the usual turrets they had to engage combat with, there were batarians waiting patiently outside of the facility and all thanks to this damned 'blasting caps' Simon had warned them about.

The lack of cover didn't make it an easy fight, for Akane at least, yet nothing her Shunshin no Jutsu couldn't handle. As expected, their actions weren't left unnoticed. During another transmission, the batarians had found Kate and by the sound of a gunshot, killed her. She hadn't sold them out even with her life threatened. A noble sacrifice Akane wouldn't have guessed from a civilian. Now it was up to them to make the sacrifice worth it.

They were nearing the third and last fusion torch. The defence system was the same so they destroyed it within minutes though they had to make a quick repairing of the Mako because, while the Commander managed to avoid most of the turret shots, they were some that had hit their mark. Fortunately, there were no 'blasting caps' present to ruin the day (or Akane's mood), though the lack of outside resistance was compensated by the batarians with at least a dozen of hungry varrens waiting on them on the inside of the infrastructure.

One good thing that the batarian war beasts weren't the smartest sort of animal so the overall problem with them was minimal. The batarians had occupied better positions which resulted in Shepard's fraction splitting up to scatter the batarians' attention all around the place. It was a tough fight, especially when they had to wait for their weapons to cool down from all the shooting or worse... when their shields were breached.

Akane supported them as best as she could but it was even hard for her to move without getting caught in the wild crossfire. She didn't have the luxury of having shields to protect her from the bullets, though that, by all means, was her fault for her ignorance of proper armour. The battle was over when nothing else than Shepard's party stirred within the structure.

They took a short pause to quickly fix some injuries they had obtained during battle. It was nothing too serious, nothing that couldn't be fixed with medi-gel before they set out to disable the last fusion torch. However, when they turned to leave, the party was faced with a much-unexpected sight. A group of batarians was waiting for them as soon as they descended the upper level of the building, their aim set on them yet not shooting.

"Hold it right there. This doesn't have to end in bloodshed." One of the batarians, the leader Akane assumed, yelled over at them.

The Commander stopped for a second, unsure of how to respond. Akane didn't trust this but thought twice about taking action. She had to remind herself that she was now under command, not at it; quite the hard thing to do for someone who had spent the last two years on her own or who was prone to be in charge even before that.

The Commander's face held a wary look, but she lowered her weapon, gesturing for the other's to do as well. The young Uchiha reluctantly lowered her swords as they cautiously closed the distance between them and the batarians.

"Don't come any closer." The one in the middle with worn-out crimson red armour spoke up to them. His deep guttural voice lacked the usual repugnance his species used to talk to with other occupants of the galaxy and he didn't bare his needle-like teeth as an act of aggressiveness.

"We can do this the hard way… or we can end this peacefully." Akane wasn't sure if that was meant to be an offer or a warning, but she was more than suspicious of the batarian's intention.

"I didn't think you batarians knew the meaning of the word." The Commander held her stern façade, her greenish eyes fixed on the batarians with such a piercing glare that any normal person, human or not, would squirm under.

"Look, I'm just doing my job here. Hijacking this rock wasn't my idea." he clarified. As though saying out loud was making the situation any better for them.

"I signed on to make a little profit. A quick slave grab. Nothing more." Wrex snorted as if he was expecting it while Garrus simply shook his head in disapproval. Akane pushed down the urge to comment. Slavery; that was something Akane was glad to have not witnessed from up close. The Reapers didn't hold the civilization as slaves, no, the victims were faced with a fate worse than that and Akane shuddered at the memory.

"This isn't just a slave grab anymore. Millions of people are going to die." The Commander replied accusingly.

"Don't you think I know that," he raised his voice a little until he thought better of it and calmed himself, "I'm just following orders here. If it were up to me, we'd have already left."

"Well, it's not too late. You can still leave." Shepard offered them something Akane hadn't expected her to; a way out. If out of self-interest or mercy, Akane didn't know, though she guessed the latter (if the information she had read about the Commander were to be trusted).

If Akane were in charge, he would be dead on spot. Not because they were slavers, not even because of how they brutally slew the human engineers, but because he posed a threat and Akane wasn't someone to rely on trust or luck.

"I don't think so. Balak would skin me alive and sell my hide out of spite. Crazy bastard. This whole mission's gone to hell and I'm gonna pay for it." The batarians responded with no small amount of fear and respect for his first-in-command. It was enough for Akane to know of the person they would have to deal with.

"So why do you listen to him?" Shepard simply inquired. Akane now understood why Jane hadn't met the batarian with hostility. She wanted to persuade them not to begin a fight they would inevitably lose. They wouldn't be nearly as lucky with Akane as Buntaichō. 

"Good question. I had a bad feeling about this from the moment we landed. Now Balak wants you dead. And what Balak wants, Balak gets. I can't change that." he said a bit hopeless, but the Commander pressed further.

"Do you always want to be second-in-command? Get me out of here and I'll take care of Balak. Then you can start giving the orders." Akane ought to be wary of the Commander's persuasive charm in the future.

"An, uh, interesting proposal." The batarian seemed to regard the notion; "It certainly has benefits over the current situation." With 'benefits', Akane knew he actually meant that Shepard's group would take care of his problem, in other words, this Balak guy.

After short consideration, the batarian relented and ordered his men to prepare for a retreat with Shepard successfully convincing the batarians to leave the planet peacefully, ending the negotiations in favour of both parties. Akane was genuinely impressed by the Commander.

" _It seems that she is as deadly with her words as she is with her gun on the battlefield,_ " Akane noted with no small amount of wonder. She wasn't someone to be impressed easily, yet the Commander did it effortlessly. It further assured Akane that she had made the right decision to follow Shepard on her endeavour.

"I hope you're as quick with a gun as you are with your promises. For both our sakes." Shepard smirked at the worried batarian that bordered on cockiness.

"Balak will get what's coming to him. And so will you if I ever catch you in human territory again. Are we clear?" She set a menacing gaze on the group, shooting off one last final warning for them.

"Perfectly." He nodded. "Balak's holed up in the main facility. You'll need this to get in." With that, he provided Shepard with a pass to the main facility and took off with his followers.

They made their way out of the structure and straight to the Mako; their objective clear with the 'final boss' waiting for them. To make it sound more dramatic. The Normandy's VI informed them that they had two out of four hours left to save the colony when they arrived and the main facility or more precisely, underground facility. Upon entering, it brought on some memories to Akane's mind she would rather not think of at the moment.

(Flashback)

Location: SSA Main Facility

Time: First day of the Reaper Invasion

Akane's feet were fuelled by sadness and rage as she ran as fast as her feet could carry her, with a weeping Shirone in her left hand and a traumatised father in her right, through the apocalyptic Konoha. The wounds of her mother's death lasted heavily on their hearts, but she somehow kept it all together as they made their way towards the entrance to the underground facility. They were most likely the last to make it because Akane hadn't passed anyone during their long run to safety.

By the looks of it, two guards were keeping watch at the hidden entrance to some sort of underground tunnel. Akane didn't pay them much attention while she was getting past the gate. Her body gave out almost immediately, loosening her grip entirely as she couldn't hear anything besides the frantic beating of her heart. She had never run so much in her life, so she wasn't surprised when her legs felt more than sore or her lungs were burning.

Shirone recovered in no time, being the sporty type out of all of her family while Akane was still a panting mess. "Akane…" she almost teared up at the broken sound of Shirone's voice. Ignoring the disapproving pain of her muscles, Akane stood up and embraced her twin in a strong embrace.

"I know," Akane cast her gaze on the ground. She couldn't bring herself to look her own twin in the eyes! So much guilt weighed on her mind that she couldn't voice more than two words out of her dry mouth.

Her thoughts sounded clear in her mind. If she had been one step faster, maybe her mother wouldn't have got caught under the falling piece of metal. If she had been stronger she would have lifted the debris from her mother before that monster crushed her under its foot in a matter of seconds.

**_WEAK._ **

After the two guards took a quick look for any other survivors, they closed the automatic gate through the interface. Akane tried to distinguish the look on their faces but found her vision weary of all sudden. The red-dyed vision she had since after watching her mother die changed back to normal and she missed the way the guard's eyebrows shot up as they took notice of Akane's eyes.

"Follow us." The pair began walking in front of them in an unhurried pace so they could follow. At this point, Akane all but dragged her feet from under herself to keep walking. She tried to hide it, though she suspected it was quite obvious, that she was on the verge of losing consciousness.

They have walked a few hundred metres in absolute silence before reaching a vast area of space where the other survivors were huddled together. More specifically, the place was big enough to harbour what she guessed was more than a dozen people in its centre. Or was she seeing double? There were also many medic stalls for the wounded yet it felt hard for Akane to look at the scenery without feeling worse than she already felt.

She even lost track of the two guards that had been leading them for a short amount of time. Deciding it was no use to look for them with her sorry vision, she joined the refugees with her family. There was a small glimmer of hope left within her jet-black orbs as she searched for familiar faces together with her twin.

There was not a single one left. The revelation brought a tear from her eyelids from not being able to hold it inside anymore. Shirone, what a gentle soul, noticed her emotional distraught and crushed the twin with her lean but strong arms in an embrace. Akane's body shook violently, trying to calm down her sobs and hiccups that increased the longer she wept. That was when it hit her.

She may have lost her home, friends, relatives, mother and so much else. But there was still one thing left in this world that was worth for her to continue living. And that was the person in whose arms she currently found herself in. Shirone Uchiha. She was that one light that would continue to shine her path through the darkness she was about to face in the future. It filled her with peace, knowing that everything she would be doing from this point on wouldn't be in vain as long as it contributed to her twin's well-being. But also a fierce drive to protect her, so no harm would ever come to her. She couldn't even bear the thought of it.

She was so deep in thoughts that she didn't perceive how the masses quieted down around them until Shirone eased off the embrace and her gaze rested on something else. Akane trained her orbs at some figures in the distance and it took her great effort to focus on them.

There were two middle-aged men standing on a higher platform. Murmurs broke out among the crowd of survivors and it prompted Akane's memory to fill in the blanks eventually. Who wouldn't recognize the Right and Left Hand of the Hokage? Two of one of the most influential figures in the Land of Fire. The one on the right was Tarozaemon Tani – the head of the Konoha Keimu Butai and next to him stood Shigetoki Iijima – the candidate for the Fire Daimyō and Chief Advisor to the Hokage.

Akane memorized their faces by frequently keeping track of the news and political situation in Konoha. The two of them were contradicting in personalities or at least from what they'd choose to show on camera. Tani had always had that cold aura around him that made him seem heartless most of the time, probably because of his function as the head of the military. He had to authority and discipline somehow after all, not that his intimidating persona and appearance didn't play a large part already.

He was a man in his mid-forties, around the same age as Iijima. His chestnut-brown mixed with some grey locks were styled into a regulation cut and he always held his beard closely trimmed. He was broader in figure but not as someone Akane would associate with the word 'bulky'. Akane only now noticed that he had been wearing the same type of uniform as the two guards she had met earlier, albeit slightly different. The man wore a green flak jacket, along with a black long-sleeve shirt and pants with an open-front apron on the bottom. His style felt overly familiar to Akane, she had seen it somewhere before but stopped her attempt to remember in order to prevent a fierce headache from arising in her head.

Iijima had a lighter complexion. His shiny silver hair was slicked back and he had relaxed features on his face. His body was overall lean and he was a little bit shorter in height than Tani. He wore a modern dark blue suit with a vivid red tie. On closer inspection, they both did look out of place with their untarnished clothing while most of the people present looked close to beggars.

Nevertheless, Akane for once, couldn't find it within herself to listen to their speech because her tired eyes were captured by something behind the scene or to be more precise… someone. He looked older than her but not enough to be an adult. Akane's gaze didn't leave him not even for a second, analysing his appearance on a comprehensive scale.

She felt attracted to his short unkempt hair that perfectly matched hers in colour and well-defined eyelashes. But what really kept her gaze glued on him were his eyes. The feeling only intensified when he somehow sensed that he was being stared upon and turned into Akane's direction to meet her gaze.

His eyes matched the way he felt towards the world: dark and cold, yet still somehow familiar. The whites of his eyes contrasted sharply with the pitch-black iris that sunk deep into his head. Its depth resembled that of a black hole in space, an air of eeriness and unsettling coldness emanating from his gaze. They were black, not soulless nor lifeless. Instead, they were like two pristine stones of onyx, which lit up a shade lighter when touched by the artificial light.

" **Hereby we declare the Second Shinobi Alliance and the reinsertion of Shinobi as official!** " bellowed the two middle-aged man in unison, resulting into a rambunctious round of applause and cheers from the masses that interrupted Akane's concentration slightly elsewhere so they were no longer fixed on the boy. After the applause cooled down, she returned her eyes on the exact spot where he had been standing the whole time, only to find out, he was no longer there.

(Flashback end)

* * *

Words dictionary:

SSA = Second Shinobi Alliance

Daimyō 大名 / Feudal Lord = Is the political leader of a country. A daimyō is responsible for all decisions concerning their country, from alliances to the annual budget to the privileges allowed to the country's hidden village. Daimyō are therefore one of the single most important individuals in the entire country and hold the highest degree of political power.

Konoha Keimu Butai 木ノ葉警務部隊 / Konoha Military Police Force = Is the judicial organisation of Konohagakure which purpose was to maintain the law in the city.


	17. The Decision

„ _Thinking_ "

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: Exodus Cluster - Asgard System - Asteroid X57 – Main Facility

Akane used the seconds before the beginning of the fight to dispatch a Kage Bushin to act on her behalf in Shepard's presence while she stole herself away with the Shushin no Jutsu to the second level. She looked around to see if she was detected before activating her Byakugan to depict the location of enemies, mainly to offset the disadvantage the batarians had gotten them into.

However, Shepard's team still couldn't advance much forward because of some nasty snipers having them trapped within their scopes, so logically, Akane took care of them first even though these defence drones made it ten times harder and longer than usual. It was a challenge, even for an accomplished Anbu as Akane, to avoid being detected by the drone's radar by reading through their regular patrol routes. Not to mention her efforts in keeping her clone alive so it didn't mess up her plan right from the start. Man, now that would be embarrassing.

Yet there was still no trace of Balak. No trace whatsoever. Well, at least Akane took care of the enemies on the upper levels, giving the Commander an opportunity to advance forward. Akane chose to suppress her activity the more Shepard progressed and focused on keeping her clone intact. After much trouble, the last batarians were eliminated and Shepard immediately set out her search for the control panel only to be stopped in her tracks by a guttural voice.

"You humans," Balak called out from above the staircase. His tone laced with deep-rooted hate. The young Uchiha moved swiftly on the ceiling, watching the batarian leader's every move through the power of her pearl white orbs.

"You're almost more trouble than you're worth." he taunted.

"I am just getting started." Shepard turned to face him, rubbing her hands together with a small smirk gracing her lips. 

"Predictable. But this is over. I'm leaving this asteroid. If you try to stop me, I'll detonate these charges and your helper and her friends are all going to die." The extremist's leader threatened with a coolness that showed how serious he was about it. Despite the graveness of the situation, the Anbu was more curious about the outcome of it rather than anything else. Garrus and Wrex decided it was for the best to leave it in the Commander's capable hands to resolve this situation, so they remained passive.

She always believed that the true character was revealed in the choices a being made under pressure - the greater the pressure, the deeper the revelation, the truer the choice to the character's essential nature. And deep down Akane knew that she feared what Shepard's true colours were like, making her unsure mind be filled with doubts. What if she placed her hopes in the wrong person? What if the feeling of uniqueness she had been getting from Shepard was nothing more than self-delusion?

"I can't just let you go, Balak. Not after what happened here," the Commander's expression changed to one of utter seriousness as Akane silently waited in anticipation.

Balak began to tell about the troubles his people have faced and blamed them all on humanity's influence with Shepard deflecting his accusations with diplomatic ease and logical reason. He was furious that the torches have been shut down, justifying this operation as an act of reprisal for humanity's actions in the Skyllian Verge, stealing territories and resources that should have belonged to the batarians, all because the Council saw a military advantage in befriending the Alliance. Akane noted that the batarian extremist and the Commander must have had some kind of past for him to hold such an intense grudge against the red-head.

"You couldn't possibly understand… Actually, you just don't want to understand. And I am done wasting my breath." Akane watched every muscle in his alien body for any signs of detonating the bombs in some suicidal act during his angry ranting.

"Now, if you want your friends to live, I suggest you step aside." He advised, a victorious smirk already playing at his thin lips for getting the mighty Hero of the Skyllian Blitz in such a position. Akane's next actions depended entirely on the Commander's choice; her first notion was to assassinate him and his followers with one clean swoop in real Anbu fashion, though since Balak had played some role during the Skyllian Blitz she thought it a waste of valuable information to finish him off.

The Commander had it rough with the choice she was faced with. Either let Balak go and risk him causing havoc in the future but save the hostages; or attack him knowing she will have to sacrifice the hostages.

Call her heartless but Akane would definitely go with the second option. Thinking back on what Balak had done to the engineers, it would be safe to eliminate the vile alien so he couldn't cause more suffering in his meaningless drive of vengeance even if it meant to sacrifice innocent lives. Wars were never waged without sacrifices; Akane had sadly learnt that the painful way; having been used to such type of an operation because of the darkness involved in an Anbu's career would lead her to execute it without a splint of hesitation.

"You can go. But this isn't over. I'll find you eventually." The Commander shot him a fiery glare, accepting the short-lived defeat.

The qualms that had been holding Akane's mind captive were repelled, for the time being, giving the young Uchiha enough assurance that her decision to trust the Commander had not been a mistake. Akane didn't trust easily if at all, she would be foolish to in the first place. Being an Anbu forced Akane to adapt to a world full of fakes and lies with a hint of secrecy hiding everything behind the curtains.

Every display of emotion was fatal and used against you if you were not careful. However, there were two people in her life she trusted with everything she'd got: Shirone and then there was Haruko. Although she rather confided in Haruko because she didn't want Shirone to walk through the darkness she had been walking through even when she really hated feeding her twin sweet lies the whole time. Akane shook her head to chase away the memories that she was too afraid to face so she instead focused her attention back to the assassination.

She needed a distraction and that's where her clone came into action. "Better hurry if you want to save your-"

"You may have won this battle, but you've lost the war." The clone's voice rose from behind, unexpectedly interrupting Balak with a calm almost cold voice.

"Huh? And who are you, little girl?" Balak asked with a belittling voice.

"Your end." The crew came closer to the young Uchiha, making something like a protective wall around her but the shinobi had other plans. In the very same moment, Akane's clone disappeared with a puff of smoke, distracting both the batarians as well as her own crew members long enough for the real Akane to quietly launch off the ceiling with a deep breath.

" _Fūton: Shinkūgyoku!_ " she shouted within the realm of her mind, using the enemy's distraught state to exhale several small blasts of wind chakra at the two guarding varren. The animals fell to the ground with a loud thud while Akane soundlessly landed behind the two remaining batarians, though her presence was quickly discovered.

Balak and his guard, in their alarmed state, surrendered to their instincts and tried to level their aim at the source of their danger. But before their three pairs of eyes could fully grasp on their target and their fingers could pull the trigger, they only saw a flash of crimson red eyes then dropped unconscious in a matter of milliseconds.

* * *

Shepard POV

" _What the actual fuck?!_ " was the only thing Jane had to say in this situation, watching Akane seemingly turn into thin air right next to her only for her to almost magically reappear behind Balak. She honestly didn't know what to make of it, for once. No. What could any normal person make of it? There had to be a logical explanation to- wait!

Maybe it had to do something with the fact that Akane wasn't even human. It could explain that it was within the capabilities of her unknown physique, which brought up a series of questions: What had happened to her? Was she once human? Was it Cerberus?

All question were left in the dark if Akane chose to answer them at all. Nevertheless, it was hard not to look affected by the young girl's actions though she prided herself for recovering quicker than the rest.

"Did you kill them?" Shepard recalled that she saw no movement with the intent to outright kill, only a short flash of red but the image wasn't clear.

"No, only put them to sleep." she responded swiftly and on point, though her attempt at secretiveness wasn't left unnoticed as Shepard tugged her gun away she had drawn out of instinct earlier. Garrus and Wrex did the same, though the turian looked as if he had something to say so she let him.

"I don't want to spoil the kid's victory but we're against the clock here and I think that nobody entertains the idea of grilled humans!" He let out one of his lame jokes as a much-needed reminder, though Jane made sure to throw a scowl in his direction for the improper sentiment.

"Garrus' right," Wrex scoffed lightly but Jane ignored it," we need to take care of this and pronto!" The redhead shouted rather enthusiastically despite the lives that were on the line and stormed off yet halted to turn rather turned her body in a funny way which made most of the crew start to question the Commander's sanity.

"Did someone catch where the bombs may be?" She shot an inquiring brow at her party, which made the alien members shrug in response, only Akane showed no similar reaction.

"If I may be of service Ma'am, I know where to find these bombs," Akane spoke up, yet Jane's attentive eyes saw there was more than the young woman wanted to say so she urged her to continue with a nod, "it would be less time consuming if we move in pairs, I will send out the locations to your omni-tool immediately."

"Wrex, with me! Garrus, you go with Akane!"

The pairs parted without wasting another breath on unneeded words. Jane went for the one on the lower levels while Akane ran upstairs to take on the other two, which seemed to not so far away from each other but still cleverly hidden from sight. There was no point of denying that it would have been a close call wasn't it for Akane's knowledge, though it made her ponder over how or rather when, the Uchiha had gotten to acquire such information.

The crew came back together at the place they've parted and were met with the sight of Simon approaching. The grey-haired man made a big loop around the unconscious batarians in order to join up with Shepard.

"Simon! Glad to see you in one piece!" Jane's lips turned up into a serene smile.

"Shepard! I don't know how, but you did it! Another hour and our course would have been irreversible. I ran the numbers, Shepard. X57 would have struck near the capital city and… killed my grandchildren. Thank you for saving their lives."

"There is no need to thank me. Everybody would have done the same in my position." Jane patted his shoulder in a brotherly gesture, glancing back to see Akane warily watching the whole exchange.

"Nevertheless, I think it's time to free our poor hostages." She nudged with her head to Garrus' direction, who got her silent command to hack the door control. That's when she remembered that her mission wasn't quite done yet because Simon had asked her to search for his missing colleagues hours ago and while it is true that she could have told him about the fate of his comrades right on their first encounter, she didn't, for various reasons.

Being a soldier didn't only mean to follow orders, go on missions, etc. But the job sometimes required a bit of tactfulness when handling certain situations, like informing acquaintances of the death of family members or friends. It wasn't something you could address at any time freely and in conclusion to the situation, they had found themselves in when they found Simon… well, let's say the time was not right to be telling such news and plus, she hadn't had the heart to tell it to him.

"One more thing. You asked me to look into your missing engineers."

"Have you found them?" Simon asked with a glimpse of hope in his voice that they may be still alive which made it all the harder for Jane to answer.

"Yes, all of them. Their bodies, anyway." _For fuck's sake! Couldn't she have put it better than that?!_ The redhead thought angrily, disappointed about her blunt choice of words.

"Oh. I-" he faltered a bit, obviously at a lack of words. "I see. Well, then. I guess it's better than not knowing."

"You have my sympathy Simon, but this where we have to part ways. Take care of yourself." Jane bid him farewell.

"Yes I know, but please be sure to check on Katie and her team for me, okay? Be well, Shepard. We owe you." She watched his weary form walk away when Garrus was done revoking the lockdown on the doors, at last, freeing the hostages.

"Normandy, the asteroid's secure, evac in ten."

* * *

Words dictionary:

Fūton: Shinkūgyoku 風遁・真空玉 / Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere \- The user takes a deep breath and exhales several small blasts of wind chakra that scatters in different directions, making it very difficult for one to avoid without injury. Due to the properties of this technique, the expelled blasts are capable of piercing into and potentially through an opponent's flesh. 


	18. To Come To An Agreement

„ _Thinking_ "

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: SSV Normandy SR-1 – Third Deck - Engineer and Storage room

The party that had been sent on the asteroid scattered quicker than she expected, not that she complained. It was a trying mission, if ranked by shinobi measures she would consider it somewhere between an A and S-rank mission. On second thought, it brought some memories back. The first time she had been on a mission of such importance was under Haruko's command, and while she had known at that time that she was in good hands, it had done little to dim her fear.

It was to be expected, she had been nothing but a rookie freshly scouted from the academy. Nevertheless, the anxiety subdued through time and experience along with a healthy dose of luck that she was even able to survive this long, though she always suspected Haruko's involvement during their missions under his watchful eye.

She stood at the weapon table in the cargo bay, slowly discarding her weaponry from her pouches. There was no need to hurry, that was until her ears picked up a beep sound coming from her left hand, making her sigh. She hastened her previous action to look at her omni-tool, finding a message from the Commander. Akane swallowed the lump that had created in her throat.

Thousands of possibilities flooded her conscience behind the reason for Shepard's summoning only to find herself at loss this time. For once the calculated kunoichi had no clue what to expect which only served to fester unease in the pit of her stomach. Without to let it trouble her mind any further, she made her way to the captain's quarters.

* * *

"Ah, Akane, I've been expecting you." Shepard ventured for her to have a seat to which Akane nodded. There was hesitation in her movements and she was sure that the Commander had already picked up on it by now, albeit she couldn't tell because the red-head didn't give anything away.

There was a pregnant silence stretching between them and to be honest, she hated every second of it, but suppressed the urge to fill it long enough for her to begin, "There is something I wanted to talk to you about." The tone the Commander adopted unsettled her.

"Regarding what?" Her voice sounded meek to her own ears.

"Your past." Akane stiffened, but thanks to her shinobi training, didn't let it show on her posture. She dared to hope that Shepard wasn't going to inquire about her identity this early on since joining the crew of the Normandy, alas she was proved wrong. Moreover, it was not a topic she was absolutely eager to delve into, not right now, possibly not ever.

But on a serious note...

Who, in their right mind, would believe her that she came from a time different from hers? From a world different from hers? From a completely separate race? Sorry, but even Akane would have trouble accepting something that sounds this unbelievable. At this point, it was better to resort to a lie than being honest from the start when the truth wouldn't be accepted either way. Yet perhaps…

The young Uchiha shifted under her troubled thoughts in her seat, inwardly being grateful of Shepard, who was giving her enough time to think about this. She hated lying, but she wasn't sure if it was safe to indulge such information to Shepard when she still hadn't fully figured her out yet. Suddenly, she came to the conclusion that it was tied to the question of why she was being around Shepard in the first place. After escaping the hospital, countless of options were at disposal yet she chose to come back to the Commander.

She tried to convince herself that it was because of her uniqueness; however, there was more to it than she wanted to admit. Shepard reminded her somehow of her late twin. The way they interacted with the world was jarringly similar and it made her want to come closer while at the same time keep her distance from the red-head. The hurt of Shirone's passing still lingered deep within her. Raw and untended. Akin to an open wound that did not heal and Shepard's presence was what put salt into it.

Then why did Akane continue to follow her when it brought her so much pain? For once, this was beyond her knowledge. She simply did.

And that was something that startled her very being, for she had never done things without a specific reason.

Noting the strange behaviour of the youngest crew member, Shepard tried to assure her, "You are not obligated to tell me every detail, just which you're comfortable sharing, but I do need to know something about you since we're going to have each other's back during missions."

This pleased the shinobi greatly. Shepard's reasons were relatable to the former Buntaichō, she would want to entrust her life to her squad members rather than awaiting a knife to the back anytime, too.

"Thank you for your understanding, Ma'am, though I must confess, it is not a subject I speak lightly about."

Her reaction was answered by a nod from the red-head, letting her take her time. When talking about her past was a sore subject for her, she wouldn't pressure her as if on an interrogation. She simply wanted some common ground to build their friendship onto - naturally, if the feeling was not one-sided.

"What would like to know?" The Uchiha asked perplexed, really not knowing how to begin.

Jane shot a surprised glance at the teen, who she hadn't seen this unsure in their short time together, "Well, how old are you?"

"Fifteen, Ma'am."

"Where are you from?" Akane pondered a bit, hoping that Shepard wouldn't take it as her stalling time to make up a lie.

"Eden Prime." To Jane, it made almost sense, weren't it for the fact that she or rather her given name, wasn't recorded in Eden Prime's nor the Citadel's archives. Though there could be another explanation to that and Jane intended to draw it out from her as subtle as possible.

"What of your parents?" she asked in the softest of voice.

"They haven't been alive for quite some time." Jane saw the smallest of emotion pass through the ever so present poker face and it made her want to stop going deeper because now she knew why she recognized that expression from somewhere. She was an orphan, just like her, though she wondered if it was by choice.

"Are you an assassin?"

"You could say that." A small smile managed to creep on her lips, 'among other things' she wanted to add since being a shinobi covered more than that. It brought a smile to the Commander too, seeing that her change of topic had a positive effect.

"Anyways, nice work with the batarians earlier." Akane humbly inclined her head, her long black hair swaying with the movement.

"If it's not too much to ask, where are you taking them, Ma'am?" It was not a question spoken out of pity, not the least, but out of curiosity since it was most likely the next course they would take.

"To Arcturus Station… well, actually I've been meaning to ask if you would come to visit a friend of mine," Shepard raised her brows expectantly that made it hard for Akane to turn down her offer. Oh, how she resembled Shirone in more than one way… She could never deny her twin anything, if it came down to that, no matter how she tried, it was proved always futile. And now she displayed the same weakness to Shepard, who she trusted wouldn't take too much of an advantage of.

"If you desire my presence, I shall be there, Ma'am." She slightly bowed, her stoic expression returning to her face.

"Great! I am going to quickly send him a message, just gimme a second," her lithe fingers swept through the omni-tool with practised ease and when she was finished typing, she lifted her head, cheerful eyes meeting the void of her white ones, "done!"

"Am I dismissed, Ma'am?"

"You are dismissed, but you ought to go to Dr Chakwas for a medical check-up, and Akane," she used her commanding undertone that made the kunoichi stop mid-way from leaving, "in private, call me Shepard."

Jane grinned, watching the teen exit her quarters, before telling off Joker to head for the headquarters of the Alliance Navy. And to a certain someone, that she was anxious to see after quite some time. She hoped the Admiral would figure more out of the teen than her.

* * *

Location: SSV Normandy SR-1 – Second Deck – Med-bay

As soon as the Anbu entered the medical room, she was greeted by the sight of Garrus getting patched up by the doc on one of the beds, engrossed in a friendly chat with the grey-head. Her presence was gone unnoticed until she came closer to the two.

"Akane," Garrus greeted.

"Sir Vakarian." The Anbu returned the sentiment, though her voice sounded much colder.

"Please, just Garrus. You make me sound like my father."

"I have been wondering when our newest addition would come to visit." Akane's expression was left blank to the doc's statement, but she still inclined her head a little as a greeting, to which the doc answered in a similar gesture much to the teen's amazement. But she chose not to act on it whilst the turian was still in their presence. Not that she didn't appreciate Garrus and his lame attempts as humour; it was truly amusing and cute in its own way.

"There! The intrusions should heal in no time, now, if you please make space for Akane," Garrus all but hopped off the bed, taking his leave without much of a back glance. An exhausted sigh left the Uchiha as she sat down the bed, ignoring the somewhat eager-mixed-with-curiosity gaze she caught in the doc's eyes as if she were some kind of anomaly but hid it excellently through a practised mask of professionalism.

Actually, at this point, she shouldn't be wondering.

It was but a matter of time until somebody found out, if not already by her display of ninjutsu earlier on the mission, then definitely by modern technology she had yet to acclimate to. There was only so much a shinobi could prevent others from knowing, and it was obvious that her true nature was soon to be discovered.

"Some injury I should know of? New or old?" It took all of her not to scoff at the grey-head. Scars? That she had plenty to show, but she wasn't entertained by the idea of undressing at the moment.

"Not that I do not know of, no." The Anbu replied after a moment.

"A rare occurrence, but one that pleases me greatly." The doc stated, eyes softening, accent stirring yet another memory the Anbu had thought long forgotten in the wake of events. Chakwas reminded her of her grandparents, despite her not being able to remember how they had looked like. Yet another remembrance of times long lost in her conquest to survive, to war.

"I will run some scans just to be on the safe side." Akane let her do what she wanted, not that she had a say in the matter. She didn't want to raise more suspicion by denying to be scanned for medical purposes or the Commander would be the first to hear of it. Pale orbs were trained at the elderly woman, using the opportunity to examine her behaviour.

She noted that the short-lived curiosity was replaced by a look not even she couldn't decipher. The doc's thin brows furrowed as if she was faced with a difficult problem, trapping her chin between her thumb and forefinger as she contemplated. Akane was a patient in nature but she still hated the silence that was accompanied by it. It almost became tenser for a moment than it had been at the captain's quarters but thankfully, was filled sooner by the delicate voice of the doc.

"It seems that you're perfectly fine, there is nothing strange worth noting," she could not help herself but think of the last part a lie. She was dead sure that the scan would have picked up something. Her chakra among other things. And it left her disappointed for some reason that Chakwas would attempt to withhold this from her.

Kami above, when had she become so pathetic?


	19. Invisible Chains

„ _Thinking_ "

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: SSV Normandy SR-1 – Second Deck

The sprays of hot water felt like heaven against her pale skin as it washed away unpleasant thoughts caused by today's events. The kunoichi stood alone in the shared showers, relishing the little moment of solitude to calm her weary mind. At this time of the hour, she noted this part of the ship to be fairly secluded, so she used what little lone time she could get for some much-needed privacy.

She relaxed to such an extent that she hadn't heard someone entering the over the sound of gushing water.

"Hey, kiddo!"

A voice that belonged to Chief Williams greeted her behind her back, swallowing down a frustrated groan as she rested her forehead to the cool surface of the wall, though in the back of her mind, she was surprised to hear Williams speaking to her without a trace of anger or hostility that she initially expected to be met with, either for hurting her pride by beating her during their sparring or with the distrust that still laid dormant since Eden Prime.

"Good evening to you as well, Ma'am." she greeted politely as every time, doing her best to hide her exhaustion from the hot-headed Chief. Now more concentrated, she heard Williams shedding her military attire to join Akane in the shower.

"So," she felt the promise of a long conversation as the Chief began in a friendly tone, "how was your first mission?"

"Terra Nova is safe, most of the research team on the asteroid were saved and the culprits were caught. The end result could not have been better."

" _Say that to Simon and his dead comrades,_ " she chastised herself inertly, even though she knew there was not much she could have done in this case. They have been long dead before they arrived.

"Yeah, I hear you kicked some batarian ass! Thanks, by the way."

"Thanks for what, Ma'am?" the shinobi didn't understand the reason behind the Chief's sudden display of gratefulness. She thought she hadn't done anything to warrant such praise, due to her not knowing the extent of influence past events had on nowadays society. Perhaps the Chief was implying on the Skyllian Blitz? She certainly remembered Balak holding quite the speech about it, not that it had done him any good.

"For settling humanity's score with the batarians."

Williams reached for some shampoo to rub it into her dark brown mane, her eyes closed. The Uchiha hadn't known that it meant so much to the Chief, but considering the tense relations between the two species, it was to be expected that some continued to harbour ill-willed feelings towards each other. The same mindset was what made up a large part of shinobi history, with the Sengoku Jidai followed by the Daiichiji Ninkai Taisen, Dainiji Ninkai Taisen, and lastly the Daisanji Ninkai Taisen.

"You're welcome," Akane responded, rinsing her own long strands of hair with her scarred hands, failing to find them any other way to occupy them.

None of the two chose to resume their short talk, instead falling into a pleasant calm. Both dedicated their efforts to showering and there was nothing but the sound of water crashing against the smooth metallic surface to be heard around them.

Yet the kunoichi curses were directed at herself, for this time, it was her being the one to disturb the peace, but she felt like she couldn't pass up the opportunity to clear something that weighed on her mind lately, that she might have gotten wrong.

"Forgive the intrusion, Ma'am, but are you not furious with me?" The Chief eyebrows went up, displaying confusion at the question, then before Akane had time to elaborate what she meant by it, the brunette broke out into a fit of laughter.

"You seriously thought I would bear a grudge for you beating me in a friendly spar?" Williams looked over to the smaller figure, wet black hair clinging to the curves of Akane's scarred body, seeing her shrug. The Chief let out a chuckle.

"It was frustrating at first," the brunette confessed, her voice adopting such softness Akane found it hard associating it with the same person, "but after waking up in the med-bay, Alenko broke the news to me that even Shepard lost to you, so it was way easier accepting my shameful defeat."

"A trained marine losing to a mere kid, now that sounds fucking embarrassing, but thankfully not as embarrassing as in Shepard's case," she stated humorously, shooting a playful wink at the younger woman, to which the otherwise stoic shinobi couldn't help but react with a small smirk of her own.

"I can see the headlines already! NEWLY APPOINTED SPECTRE SUFFERS FIRST DEFEAT!" Williams bellowed in feign mockery, her fiery spirit bringing a warm feeling to Akane's heart. She couldn't recall a time she was this much at ease.

"But don't tell her I said that!" Akane nodded to her request.

Dammit! The crew was already growing on her and she hadn't even been here for a week! She shouldn't get so close to them. After all, it was not a necessity for the mission they were on and certainly not something the Anbu could not live without. She survived two years of exile, not meaning that she hadn't been used to being alone even prior to that. There had been a cliff in her family since the death of her mother, and it only grew each passing day, not showing any kind of stopping until it had reached its climax – the Abenjāzu Downfall.

She looked at her hands, seeing them bloodied by the blood of her own, her friends, her love, her life. The water drops suddenly felt harsh and weighed her down like invisible chains she thought gone after Shirone's death. Only to find it was self-delusionary. They were always present, no matter how desperately Akane wished to be freed of them.

The twinge in her chest reminded her of only a tiny fraction of pain reliving the memory would bring her. Was she prepared to face another loss? No, not after Shirone. Her heart broke the day she killed the love of her life – Haruko - followed closely by everything her life was made of – Shirone. What was left of her being? A body without warmth and a soul without the capacity to feel anything besides numbness. She could be as good as dead and it wouldn't make any difference.

_Yet you're still here! With the doom and gloom instead of giving me some nephews!_

She almost heard Shirone's voice ridiculing her about her negative thinking and it brought a faint chuckle to her tightened throat that the Chief didn't notice. No matter how many similarities they had shared, their personalities contrasted each other to its fullest.

Where Akane was dark, Shirone was white. Where Akane was mature, Shirone was childish. Where Akane was shouldering the fate of their people, Shirone was carefree. And the list went on...

She adored her for it. Looking at Shirone was as if staring at her own reflection in the mirror, but seeing a separate person.

That was how different they were from each other from the start, even if they shared the same face. Occasionally it would cause trouble, but for all its worth, it was a great blessing. Some of her classmates used to complain about how their siblings were a nuisance and most of the time annoying when around. While the kunoichi slowly got on what they meant, she saw it from a different angle.

Shirone was in short, a blessing. Although it took her some time to see past the faults to realize that. It was shortly before the beginning of the reaper invasion. Had she only realized it sooner...

„Akane, hey!" The Anbu hadn't noticed when she managed to close her eyes, but they sure snapped open at the Chief's request.

The brunette waited for her reply, but the teen just managed to lift her gaze. Ashley saw nothing in the vastness of her white eyes, but there, on her young face was a crack. A tiny little crack within her emotionless mask and it pained her more than she thought possible, especially for someone she practically just met.

She even forgot what she wanted from Akane in the first place.

Needless to say, her initial objections were cast aside and replaced by respect for the girl's combat prowess, for she defeated her fair and square even if she had yet to discover how. Not that it mattered, the Commander had the final say in the end. If Shepard saw value in her, then it was not her place to dissent.

„Good night, Ma'am." Williams felt herself being snapped out of her mussing as Akane bid her goodnight. Not noticing how quick the girl slipped out of her sight. The sneakiness the teen moved resembled that of an assassin, which would explain her expertise at hand-to-hand combat, yet still left many questions open.

„Bye." was all she managed to say, turning her back on the retreating form of the Uchiha. Fuck it! This was too much thinking for her brain. She seriously hoped there was some beer in the kitchen.

* * *

Location: SSV Normandy SR-1 – First Deck

Shepard POV 

The red-head stood at the CIC pedestal for the CO at the back of the bridge of the Normandy, her green orbs focused on the giant model of the galaxy map in front of her. Her back hurt slightly from keeping a straight posture because of the lengthy negotiations with the Alliance outpost on Scott (that's the capital of Terra Nova), which demanded the group of batarian extremists to be sentenced on Terra Nova since they fiddled in their space of authorization.

Jane knew their reasons were valid but the Spectre thought it would be for the better when they didn't dump them on a Class-1 human colony. It needn't take a genius to see that couldn't take on a good turn of events. It wasn't her intention to accidentally encourage any anti-batarian movements or spread more hate between the two races than there already was. The safest and most politically convenient option would be to put them on the Arcturus, under Admiral Hackett's watch in a best-case scenario, but that was left to decide for the Alliance Parliament.

"Joker, set course to Arcturus Station- didn't you grow up on the Arcturus?" Jane recalled from their last conversation.

"It's good to know I am not talking to myself during our conversations," Joker remarked dryly, earning a scowl from the Spectre.

"Joker…" Shepard put more edge on her tone since the helmsman didn't answer her question.

"Did you know I stole the Normandy once?"

"What?" Shepard let the smart change of topic slide this time, being more intrigued by his unexpected statement, "For real?"

"No, I just made that up out of nowhere!" Joker responded in feign hurt.

"Will you tell me about it?"

"If you come to the bridge."

"Oh? Carrying some dark secrets, Flight Lieutenant?" The Commander teased through the comm, hearing a few chuckles by some interested crew members.

"Nah, you've got me there Commander. Now my plans for galactic domination ruled by cripples have been spoiled." This set off a round of laughter on the command deck, even her XO Pressley seemed amused.

"Aw, come on, no need to be offended." She was partly glad that the pilot couldn't see her mirth from behind his seat or else she feared he would never tell her about his past mischiefs.

The only reaction she got was the cold shoulder and so her feet carried her towards the bridge, in hopes she didn't piss her pilot off too much.

* * *

Words dictionary:

Sengoku Jidai 戦国時代 / Warring States Period \- It was the long, violent era preceding the formation of the hidden villages.

Daiichiji Ninkai Taisen 第一次忍界大戦 / First Shinobi World War \- It was the first of the great wars that involved the majority of shinobi villages and countries. There are few reliable surviving records of this war, but the experiences of this war led to the birth of the tactics that still form the cornerstone of warfare.

Dainiji Ninkai Taisen 第二次忍界大戦 / Second Shinobi World War \- It was the second of four great wars involving the majority of the shinobi villages and countries.

Daisanji Ninkai Taisen 第三次忍界大戦 / Third Shinobi World War \- It was the third of the four shinobi wars that involved the majority of the shinobi villages.


	20. Cracks In The Mask

„ _Thinking_ "

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: Arcturus Stream – Arcturus – SSV Normandy SR-1

Lean muscles relaxed under the white sheet, her body donning nothing but her dark-grey mesh armour with navy accents under an identical T-shirt with a simple white belt around the waist and her usual black pants. She was in her battle-sleep mode, balancing on a thin edge between a state of awareness and sleep; something that was a necessity to learn during her first year within the Anbu, but fully mastered, when she had been in exile.

Haruko explained it to her once as a form of meditation that could serve as a provisional substitute for sleep when on a solo mission without anyone there to take watch; basically her last two years in a nutshell. There was no reason to deny that the last mission was strenuous but also held great reference to her adapting to in-cosmic combat. It went a lot better than she assumed, especially after Kate's last call. In fact, it felt satisfying that the mission resolved into a more positive outcome, unlike her last mission. She remembered that night as clear as day since it had been the main subject of her nightmares that haunted her dreams.

(Flashback)

Location: Somewhere near the Abenjazū Hideout

Time: A day before the massacre

Haruko POV

Haruko watched her sitting at the edge of the railing, knowing she was already aware of his presence, and then slowly approached her. He noticed how her build-up defences relaxed whenever he was near her and revelled in the trust she shared with him. Not many wanted to associate themselves with him in any way, either because of his standing from before the invasion or from his reputation within the forces of the SSA.

But there she sat, his former student and best friend he could ever ask for. If she hadn't already given him enough, she gave him her heart that he hadn't been able to reject the day she had offered it. At that time, his thought was to deny her proposition, deeming him as an unfit target for her affection. The rational part of him didn't want to bind himself to anyone ever again, fearing the pain he would experience should he lose her too, would have, undoubtedly, led to his complete undoing.

Once, Haruko had once thought of himself as an emotionless tool for the SSA to use as they saw fit and for a while, he had been content to be that way. He had thrown himself into a black pit where nobody dared to approach him after the pain of loss became unbearable, and indeed nobody tried to invade his personal darkness. Since then, it had only been him and his darkness, walking upon an apocalyptic world with only insignificant lights appearing now and then to lighten this black hell. None of them remained too long so they wouldn't get swallowed up by it.

He had thought of Akane the same when he had first met her around three years prior; as nothing but a small flame that would vanish in just but an instance. Yet after a bat of his eyelashes, she was still there. What he had brushed off as a small flame, was a fire in disguise, and he immediately felt attracted to it like a flower would seek out the light of the sun. He was tentative to get closer to her, fearing she would burn down the walls he had put so much effort into erecting, but that notion was roughly shoved aside when she had asked him to be her mentor.

He remembered how her onyx orbs, so full of life, would stare him down with that same ferocity that had brought him to her in the first place, and they wouldn't take on refusal. He had accepted, and he would be forever glad that he did because once she had entered his darkness, her relentless will to survive and strive to avenge what had been taken from her had begun blending in with his black pit.

The more he had spent time with Akane, the more colours returned to his world void of dye. In her, he found purpose and his resolve to live reawakened. He began to feel, to live again, even if it was only prone to her existence.

But her flames weren't without shadow too and in her most vulnerable moment he had told her that he was lost in this world, and to his surprise, she had smiled, because she was too. Eventually, Haruko realized that they were all lost somehow, but in this very moment he didn't care, because they had in the chaos, found each other.

She wasn't afraid of his demons and he didn't fear her madness. They saw beyond those things that life did to a person. And underneath it, were two beautiful souls that just wanted to love. He got a little close and that was all it took. He was captured because that was what sometimes happened when the heart recognized home.

Haruko chose to join her side, and once he settled next to her, leaving no space between them, she immediately rested her head on his shoulder. He wound an arm around her protectively to rest on her hip, trying to convey his comfort through it as Akane had done so many times over to him. When she heaved a relieved sigh, he nuzzled her black tresses.

"What are you thinking about, my love?" His voice sounded colder than he wanted, one of the many things he had to cope with him effectively suppressing all of his emotion for such a long period, but he knew she understood. And that his intentions were pure and that he cared, it was simply difficult for him to properly express it.

She remained silent as he watched her onyx eyes gazing at the horizon as if it held all the answers.

She got quiet sometimes like that, and he could feel that a certain weight had got her by the heart. And it is in those times that he wanted her to speak the most, but he knew she couldn't because lately, things got grisly inside. They got messy and she had to cleanse all that. And the last thing she wanted to do was dirty him with it. He knew it all. In his mind, he knew it, yet it didn't make it any easier to watch.

Akane turned to look at him, "I love you. You know that, right?"

Haruko raised a brow at her, before returning the sentiment in earnest, "More than words can express."

In return, she offered him one of those rare smiles she reserved only for him and Shirone that made warmth blossom in his chest, but at the same time, he noticed a profound sadness in it as well. She was battling things her smile would never tell him about.

He knew it all. In his mind, he knew it, yet it didn't make it any easier to watch.

(Flashback end)

"Alright guys, we are soon to arrive at Arcturus Station so you get two days shore leave," joyous cheers interrupted the Commander's announcement, which reminded Akane of her classmates at school when holidays had been announced, and Shepard had to cough to get their attention, "so be nice a don't cause unnecessary trouble… especially you, Wrex!"

Akane could hear the krogan's disapproving growl followed by rambunctious laughter a floor below her. She noticed how the ship got livelier than any other day she had witnessed here, the crew began planning out their free time at the station and Akane couldn't help herself but eavesdrop on some out of sheer curiosity or boredom. The young Uchiha remained for a while in the mess; casually chatting with Sir Alenko on topics she could hold a conversation long enough.

Then, she moved a deck lower, to the place where they had met for the mission. As per usual, there was Wrex thinking to himself by the lockers, Garrus tinkering with his omni-tool near the Mako and Chief Williams cleaning her rifle in the corner. Seeing the Chief taking care of her weapon, she spontaneously decided to check on her own weapon artillery. To see how her equipment was holding up since the last mission.

The chokutō and kunai were in a rough state from over usage, but still good to go, at least for one or two deployments. She couldn't keep going with only her swords, she realized, but guns weren't an option either since she had never been taught to handle one. They were scarce resource during her time in the SSA, and the only ones who had been given one were the two leaders and the rest of the non-chakra users.

So reflecting on the current situation she had to learn how to use a gun or get new blades. In either option would she be indebted and as much as she hated to give somebody the advantage, it was needed for her to get acquainted with standards of modern society if she wanted to keep her worth in the Commander's crew.

But who should she ask to train her?

The Anbu had thought first of Shepard but thought second of busying the Commander with her problems. She had enough on her plate as a Spectre to unnecessarily bother with an inexperienced crew member. Being so deeply enraptured by her own mussing, she hadn't noticed the turian walking up to her from his usual spot.

"Hey Akane, do you have a moment?"

"I have. What is it, Mister Vakarian?" she inquired politely, calling him by something else than 'Sir' since he himself had requested it during their latest encounter. She watched his expression twitch; looking somewhat conflicted, then he shook it off his head to continue.

"I wondered if you could give me a few tips on my hand-to-hand combat."

Now that put her into stasis. She certainly didn't see that coming, but to her defence, turians were genuinely hard to read. But! The perfect solution to her newfound problem had just shown itself on a silver plate. A favour, for a favour. Simple as that.

"Sure… but only if you teach me how to fire a gun."

Now he was the one looking off-put by the situation, judging by the lack of his usual witty response. Wrex didn't seem to believe what the question implied either, while Williams watched the exchange out of the corner of her brown eyes. Perhaps the Chief had noticed her inexperience during their battle against the geth at Eden Prime, so it wasn't news for her.

He let out that noise laid over with the natural flanging effect of his turian biology that sounded to Akane's ears like a purr. She noticed Garrus doing this when he was in deep thought, though she couldn't be a hundred percent sure about it. It was a good sign; it meant he reconsidered it and not be opposed by the idea off the bat. She knew turian and human hatred for each other ran deep from the First Contact War, but it hadn't shown in Garrus yet.

He looked trustworthy enough, if though she knew better than to judge a book by its cover. He hadn't revealed any ulterior motive with his suggestion.

"You got yourself a deal. But don't expect to get the better of me this time! As you may have noticed, I am the best shot when it comes to marksmanship!" she couldn't help but to feel amused at his self-praise and be impressed how laid-back he took the defeat itself. The small quirk of lips felt strange but not foreign to her, she only hoped that nobody around had noticed her little slip.

"In a quest to reclaim you're lost pride, I assume?" She couldn't hold back the remark from escaping her lips.

She even managed to make Wrex and Williams laugh, approving her suspicion that they have been listening to their conversation. It felt nice to just joke around, it brought her mind back to the days when life was so much easier. Just like with Williams in the shower a few days prior.

"So there IS a heart beating underneath that emotionless shell after all!" He heartily laughed it off, though she was left unable to join him.

She realized too late that that was his intention all along; to get her ease up a little from the iron grip with which she held her emotions at bay. How she could have let herself be so careless that easily was something unimaginable to her whilst she searched her for the holes in her guard and found something she wasn't prepared for.

A longing she had never really felt before, not even before the annihilation of her people.

A desire that sought friendship, love and happiness.

She wanted to step out of the darkness and into the light but felt frightened by the thought of leaving what she had known for most of her life. It was difficult to go back to her way of living from before she became _this_. Did she even have the right to live that way when she had robbed so many others of it?

Shirone wished her to be, but she herself wasn't sure if she deserved it. That's when she noticed how broken she truly was, yet her heart still yearned for repair. How foolish. Everything she had inflicted on her, the damage, began slowly resurfacing from the depths of her shadow at the worst time. She was in foreign territory and wasn't allowed to show any kind of weakness that the enemy could use against her. She righted the mask that had always been present and hid all the turmoil the turian had stirred in her masterfully.

"So when do you want to start?" she inquired in her habitual tone as if nothing happened in this short period.

"Uh- I don't know, maybe after our shore leave?"

"Acknowledged." With that being settled, she excused herself from him and went back up to the sleeping pods, one of the only places she was safe from prying eyes, at least to some degree and searched through the vast expanses of the extranet for useful information to expand her knowledge.


	21. The Shinobi And The Admiral

„ _Thinking_ "

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

There was much traffic going on the second deck whilst Akane idly sat by the table at the mess, watching the shuffling of the crew through the hall.

She felt bad for being amused how most of the crew, aside from Shepard's party members, avoided direct eye-contact but decided to give them a break by occasionally closing her eyes whilst waiting for the Commander near her quarters. Either she was early or Shepard was late because she waited an awfully long time for the doors to swish open. When the red-head finally came out, it was only them and XO Pressly remaining on the Normandy.

"Hey, Akane! I hope that I haven't kept you waiting for too long."

"Not at all, ma-", Shepard threw her a warning look, "Shepard."

"Then let's go!" The enthusiasm in the Commander's voice made Akane ponder over the friend that they were about to meet who had Shepard this ecstatic.

"Lead the way," she said, this time making sure her mask was perfectly in place so incidents like with Garrus wouldn't repeat themselves. She loathed making the same mistake twice.

* * *

Hackett POV

He was nervous. Nervous by the anticipation and thrill he had been getting since reading the message from Shepard. It had been a long time since they met up in person but watching the live feed from her election to the Spectres was enough to temporarily quench the desire to bask in her beauty. She was alive and well, what could he want more? Desire flared painfully in his stomach and shameful images dug up from the depths of his imagination, proving how useless it was to lie to himself about the extent of his longing for the red-head.

An amber skinned man was waiting patiently next to him for the Commander to appear. How the man knew that the Admiral would meet up with Shepard was a mystery to him but not like he had much to say to his superior. Even though he would have preferred to be alone with Jane, instead of cutting unnecessary chit-chat with the Prime Minister to pass time. He held nothing against the Indian man, the opposite in fact. Amul Shastri was one of the few he considered friends and trusted it to be mutual. It may not run as deep as with Anderson but it was safe to call him an ally.

His thoughts were interrupted as the woman in question came trotting down to them with... a teen? The Admiral would have raised his eyebrows at the company Shepard currently held but his visage didn't show any of it. He would definitely get a chance to ask her later when it was just the two of them. He would be lying if he said that he wasn't slightly disappointed that the only reason that Jane arranged a meeting with him was because of a piece of advice, but he never gave Shepard any reason to think of him otherwise.

He had never shown his interest in her to exceed mere friendship or mutual respect.

He was always professional, no matter how hard it got around her at times. So he felt foolish to expect a different scenario.

Yet God help him, he couldn't take his eyes off her for a longer period. Especially the green in her eyes that held so much vigour that he felt younger just by looking at them. Sadly, the rejuvenating feeling was always accompanied by self-doubt that reminded him how older he was in comparison to her. And it was hard not to get swayed by it.

Not that any other part of her physique was less favoured in his opinion. She was an attractive female not only by human standards. There were many that lusted after Commander Shepard's body, judging by the general public opinion or the large fanbase on the extranet. Hell, she had been number one female within the Alliance since Elysium just as he was among the most famous.

He was tongue-tied as Shastri came to offer his praise of Jane's recent achievements that were more than just shallow words whilst he decided to make a short inspection of the teen standing with the stillness of a statue to the opposite of him. It didn't take him long to note that she was without a doubt, a strange one, not only in appearance but in behaviour as well, that he could tell, almost without putting too much effort to read her. Perhaps this was the one Shepard need help with. Despite the knowledge, his eyes never strayed too far from their object of desire, drinking in her appearance as if they have been starved of the sight of her.

Their conversation took an interesting turn when the Indian displayed a sudden interest in the teen.

* * *

Shepard POV

She felt the increase of her heart-rate when her eyes locked for a split of a second with the Admiral's and it was enough to leave her breathless. She did her best to hide it by greeting the Prime Minister with a firm 'Namaste' since she knew of his ancestry before her eyes, once again, trailed off to her crush.

Hackett's look was stern just as she remembered yet when she focused more intensely, searching for something deeper in the alluring blue, she found an unexpected softness to his gaze. She was thankful for the Prime Minister because she would have been caught staring, even if it was by another exposition about her service record.

She began feeling fed up by all the praise, even when she covered it up behind a humble nod. She only did what she thought was right, there was nothing more to it. Yet people always found new ways to exaggerate or sing praises of her deeds, as if she did it all that on her own. She hated when all the credit went to her, and she made sure to remind everyone every time something like that came up in an interview or whatever.

They talked for a bit longer but she felt his eyes burning a hole into her skull and it made her wonder why he hadn't said anything yet during this short period, only acknowledging her presence with a nod when she saluted. Needless to say, she hadn't met the Prime Minister before, but she never anticipated a man of his position to be so kind. She wasn't pointing it out as a fault but men so high in the chain of command often radiated an aura of authority to garner respect and discipline from those under their command - prime examples being Hackett or Anderson.

She noted Shastri's eyes shifting somewhere over her shoulder and for a moment she forgot what exactly he was looking at. "And who might your young companion be?"

That question took her by surprise. _Dammit!_ She actually managed to forget about Akane. Luckily for her, the said teen must have picked up on her lack of response as she answered in her stead. _Nice save!_

"Uchiha Akane, Sir."

The man flinched from the cold tone he was met with, not anticipating such emotional detachment from seemingly a normal girl. Shepard couldn't blame him. Her first impression on Akane was also... severe. Akane bowed so her tone wouldn't be mistaken as disrespectful. She saw a spark flicker in the Indian's pupils at the gesture.

"Ah, a polite one." An appraising smirk graced his lightly darker lips. "Are you perhaps Japanese?"

The question was to be expected, it was a well-known fact that the Prime Minister had a fascination for cultural differences in human society from before the First Contact War when humanity had only known to be the only sentient species - from their perspective. The different nations remained exclusive till this day but joining the galactic community brought a yet unfound sense of unity among the nations: Humanity had to band together to face this challenge. To show that they could live up to standards of the Council races.

"Perhaps." Akane answered in her own cryptic fashion.

Now that she was left out as an active participant in this conversation, Jane was more aware of all the signs that pointed out the way the Uchiha interacted with others. Each question she was asked was masterfully evaded or the directed off the point, never giving a full response, leaving only insignificant snippets that held no real information in them.

It made Jane reflect on how all of their shared interactions have been going up until now. She certainly was convinced that Akane hadn't lied to her yet but she was reluctant to speak the truth as well. It wasn't anything special, Shepard also kept secrets and imagined how uncomfortable it must feel to have to spill them to someone she barely knew. Forcing Akane could be one option Jane could make use of - she had the necessary authority to do so - in truth, she felt sick to the stomach just by thinking of it.

She would never do that to her fam-

"I fear I will have to depart for a scheduled meeting," Jane's thoughts came back to reality and flicked back to the Prime Minister so she wouldn't make a bigger fool of herself than she almost already had, "It was a pleasure meeting you Commander and I wish you the best of luck on your mission." He lifted his dark-brown eyes from his omni-tool to rest on the others around him. Jane automatically saluted.

"Admiral. Akane." The Indian inclined his head towards the two. Prompting the Admiral to salute as well since Shastri was still his superior.

"Namaste, Sir." Akane clasped he hands together just as Jane did that brought a satisfying smile to the Prime Minister before he parted with the group.

* * *

She stayed in the Commander's shadow, trying her best to conceal her presence. Her attempt didn't fool the Admiral, however, she was left under the scrutiny of his icy blue eyes that held steel in them. In a way (or two), he reminded her of Tani from before he was indoctrinated, but she quickly dismissed such off-hand comparison when she saw those ice caps melt in the blue of his eyes whenever they landed on the red-head.

She never saw that in Tani, not even once.

Either way, she didn't know the Admiral on a personal level so she wasn't sure if she read the chemistry between them right but she definitely saw _something_ there. She let her attention flicker to Shepard as she conversed with the Prime Minister, searching for signs of a similar reaction. Overall, the red-head was ignorant to the Admiral's staring, she noted how her eyes sometimes wandered off to him but it was by far not enough to conclude anything.

But what were these small _signals_ she was picking up from both the Commander and Admiral at the same time?

She was aware of the changes in her perception of certain... things, caused solely by her interaction with the prothean beacon. But to think she could sense to such an extent... without the use of even the tiniest bit of chakra whatsoever. Man, she almost felt like a shinobi from the Inuzuka Clan. If her recollection of biology classes was correct, then these scents she was smelling were...

...pheromones.

Sexual pheromones at that.

Kami be with her. She wasn't sure what was the main reason for her shock was from the discovery of the extent of her newly acquired abilities or the realization that Shepard was physically attracted to someone. She would definitely go with the first option, no matter how much the latter intrigued her.

Facts aside, it was still too soon to make _any_ assumptions. It might as well be just a part of her imagination for all she knew. For all its worth, it was an interesting development, something worth keeping an eye out.

Hold on...

Why was she so into it in the first place? Shepard was her own woman. She could do whatever the hell she wanted. She had no right to mingle into her business.

_Then why do you feel the urge to protect Shepard from him?_

Why did she care so much?

The worst kind of emotions there were, were the ones who couldn't be suppressed.

Was it because it everything Shepard did, she saw the image of her late sister? The brightness, the joyfulness, the playfulness, the goodness... the light. All reminders of Shirone's characteristic personality traits. All reminders of everything she never was. In a desperate attempt to shrug off those thoughts she shook her head.

She was for once, grateful that she became the centre of conversation when the Prime Minister had picked up her sudden movement, alerting him of her presence. It was easier to resolve than her troubling emotions. Even with both the Admiral and Shepard watching her at the same time. Dangerous move. But she had only known danger most of her life.

The exchange of words was abbreviated by the Prime Minister's responsibilities and so it was just the three of them now, still standing at feet of the Normandy, the atmosphere getting tenser after each second of silence.


	22. Not Exactly A Date

„ _Thinking_ "

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

They both looked like they were preparing themselves for a fight rather than to speak. If their stiff postures were something to go by. Akane also anticipated it to be some form of a military protocol or simple formality. Like shinobi had to kneel on one knee when in the presence of the Hokage.

"It seems you've got yourself another fan, Commander," Shepard smiled sheepishly at the Admiral, scratching the back of her head. Akane watched as a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips, lightening up his stern demeanour.

"To be honest, Sir, I wasn't prepared for the Prime Minister himself to grace me with his presence." There was a warmth to her voice as she wondered about the Indian that she met a minute ago. Akane intently watched for some sort of reaction out of the older man, who she tried to get a read on. Older men, in general, were much harder to read because most of them weren't controlled _by_ their emotions, as it was often the case with youth, but were _in_ control of them. She knew that it was a universal trait shared by many other species, take the asari matriarchs as a fitting example.

Akane barely grasped on the flash of jealousy in the Admiral's eyes as he hid it with practised ease behind his admiral mask before the red-head could even take notice of it.

"Fans aside, you asked for my help, Commander?" Akane became suspicious at that, though she had a feeling she would find out soon enough.

Shepard hadn't mentioned anything of that sort during their talk in the captain's quarters, only that she requested her to meet a friend of hers. So that meant the Admiral had been the friend she was to be introduced to. But why were they being so tense around each other if they were supposed to be friends?

"Oh, right! Do you have a place where there won't be much commotion, Sir?"

"There is a café I like to visit after a stressful day. Not overly crowded with a peaceful atmosphere and a nice retro touch. Besides, I am regular, so we might as well get a discount." He winked at the red-head which made her let out a hearty laugh, a faint blush covered her cheeks as she did so. This particular exchange made the previous nervousness dissipate from them, seeing the Admiral bringing the conversation on an informal level.

"Sounds perfect!" Shepard exclaimed, somewhat eagerly walking by the Admiral's side, chatting quietly all the while Akane obediently followed after them. The trip was short but enough for Akane to use most of it to get a good look at the station and its inhabitants, inwardly noting everything she didn't understand for later study.

Then they arrived at their destination and got seated at a table for three. Out of the peripheral vision, the shinobi saw the waitress already on her way to their table. Akane pretended to skim through the small menu list in her hands, despite knowing she couldn't even read the text, but because she could better review their 'friendship' without having to worry about getting caught.

"What would you like me to bring you?" The waitress inquired.

"The usual." The Admiral exchanged a knowing look with the young woman, then set his gaze casually on Shepard, who looked in two minds about what she would like to pick.

"I hope you have money to burn, Sir! Because I am not looking the gift horse into the mouth." There was a twinkle in her eyes as their gazes met. It was like a short-lived spell was put on the grey-haired man.

"Is that an order, Commander?" he teased with a smirk, clearly amused.

"And what if it is, Admiral?" She shot him a smile of her own, a hint of a challenge in her voice.

"Well, I am the one with the discount, so technically..." The devilish smirk that adorned the Commander's lips bode nothing good. And Akane was about to experience a mischievous side of Shepard she hadn't been met with, much to the Admiral's dismay.

"An affogato, please." was Shepard's final verdict, that was spoken with feigned innocence as she put the list contently back on the table. Not like she had any idea what the red-head had ordered, but she anticipated it must have been something expensive if the defeated sigh of the Admiral, once he looked up the price, was anything to go by.

"That will be all?" Inquisitive eyes turned to Akane.

"Yes."

"Thank you, your order will come in no time!"

"So... let's make a short introduction." Shepard rubbed her hands together as she rearranged herself better on the mellow chair to have both of them in her field of vision. She decided to introduce the Admiral first, she had probably noticed that there was no point in beginning with Akane whereas she had already given her name.

"This is Admiral Steven Hackett and a very dear friend to me, he also commands the Fifth fleet that is stationed here at the Arcturus."

Well, she could see as much from first meeting him at the hangar despite not knowing his full name. Any idiot would figure it out based on his martial uniform that just screamed 'I am the real deal!'. The formidable scar similar to Wrex' (though on a much smaller scale) was also an indication of his profession, even when less reliable than other pointers.

Furthermore, the way he held himself so straight pointed out the possibility of him going through military drills since he was comfortable with this position - the majority of people wouldn't walk this way out of sheer discomfort.

"A pleasure, Sir." The kunoichi inclined her head as a sign of respect, her white eyes fixed intently on the Admiral to force out some sort of reaction.

He only gave her an affirming nod, nothing too expressive. She remembered what effect her exotic eyes had on most of the humans and was impressed by his control to remain indifferent about the fact where others would feel obnoxious. Most likely due to the absence of the distinguishable pupil.

"And as you know, this is Akane Uchiha," he nodded, "the latest addition to my team."

The Admiral only stared, just in time for the waitress to bring their drinks. His brows furrowed as he let the new information sink into his mind whilst stealing a sip from his cup. He looked troubled but was startled when Shepard abruptly excused herself to the bathroom. Akane, too busy to look unbiased, didn't see the wink that the red-head shot the Admiral.

And here they were... sitting in the awkward silence the Commander purposefully left in her wake.

He was the first to break it, "What do your parents think of this?"

"Nothing."

"Why is that?"

"I don't have any," she responded flatly, mending the crack in her mask that had formed the last time she was asked the same question.

They held their gazes on each other, both unflinching.

"What does a child have to do in a Spectre investigation?"

"My reasons lie within Shepard's best interest I can assure you."

"For how much longer I wonder," he said, mistrust lacing his every word where it was soft before. Akane picked up on his attempt to provoke and was left unfazed. She would have to be careful with this one.

"Am I correct to assume you trust the Commander's judgement?" He nodded without hesitation.

"The Commander's allowed me to join out of her reasons and on her conditions which I fulfilled."

"That still doesn't legitimate bringing in a juvenile on an undercover Spectre investigation. Some might get the wrong idea," he warned. His eyes held this hardness in them that would intimidate any normal civilian. It was one of a few aspects he shared with Tani. Not her.

"Your concerns are not unreasonable and duly noted. I am aware of the risk my recruitment poses for the Commander and will try my best to keep a low profile, for her sake." Akane answered truthfully. She knew it was her fresh Spectre status (if more) that he was worried about. You wouldn't want to lose something you have worked on for the last twenty years, Akane was loath to let all the effort put to waste as much as he was.

* * *

Hackett POV

He knew that the girl wasn't any typical teenager. It had shown when she spoke to the Prime Minister. The Indian was an accomplished politician who knew his way with people, otherwise, he wouldn't be where he was today. He was better at politics than he, Steven freely admitted hating politics just as much as Shepard did, but it was necessary to keep up appearances.

The first thing he expected when he saw the girl at Shepard's side was that she was some sort of former slave of these batarian extremists Jane had brought into custody. Her mental health said as much when he looked at her face. Her eyes were literally void of any emotion, which was unsettling, but not rare to appear on such a young face - God help him, he had seen enough examples after Mindoir. So naturally, Steven thought it was from the horrendous time she must have experienced during slavery that left her in such a condition, but little did he know that it would be him instead who would be left shocked.

Asteroid X57. He had read Shepard's report, and damn he would give her another medal for preventing an event that would have had, without a doubt, catastrophic consequences. Alas not everyone saw it through his eyes, not everyone was as supportive of the Spectre as he or Anderson was. Some were reigned by jealousy of her fame, others saw in her possibilities to use her for their means or simply didn't appreciate her character. She had as many allies as enemies.

Then again, so did he. He just realized that they shared a lot more in common than he thought.

Then again, Shepard revealed that Akane was part of her crew, which was like a slap across his face, destroying the whole image he had constructed of the teen. He trusted Shepard's judgement, that was out of question, but that move was unlike her. Jane must have had an adequate reason to bring a child into her crew because Steven himself couldn't see enough cause that outweighed the consequences that would lever more concessions out on the Alliance - in case of the worst scenario.

Jane would probably use her Spectre authority to classify Akane's participation, which is the only logical step for her to do. But there was still one question left in the open: Who was Akane Uchiha?

The Prime Minister might have tipped him off on her nationality but it was a wild guess considering modern circumstances, and how wide-spread humans were now that the galaxy had been opened to them. He would have his men searching for her identity after this encounter, strange as it may seem, was over.

He wasn't exactly proud to use such a harsh choice of words against someone who was a good few decades younger than him, but he wasn't the man to sugarcoat what he had to say either.

"As much as the thought is appreciated, your awareness doesn't change a dozen of regulations that speak against your favour," he paused to look at her, seeing the usual blankness replaced by a hardened expression that he had only seen a few times during his career.

An expression that only those soldiers wore that went through hell and came back to tell the tale. That was the second time today that he was shell-shocked as he didn't foresee witnessing it on the face of a child. Steven was almost left intimidated by the sheer intensity of it, but he was the Admiral of the Fifth fleet. It wasn't going to work on him so easily, albeit he used the same approach.

"Only when those restrictions apply to species that acknowledge the authority of the Citadel Council." she retaliated with unsettling serenity. He wasn't exactly sure what she meant by that but he knew she wasn't jesting either.

"What-"

"Hey, you two!" He didn't perceive Jane coming back from the toilets, "Oh! Pardon my ill-timed interruption, Sir, please do continue." she shot him an apologetic glance, but he simply waved his hand in a dismissive gesture.

"It was nothing of importance anyways, Commander."

"I hope you two got acquainted at least a little bit during my short break." She sat back down into her chair, green eyes landing on her drink.

"Aw, my ice cream melted!" Her brows furrowed. He couldn't help himself but chuckle at the child-like innocence that she displayed on rare occasions. She always was like a breath of fresh air whenever he was worn out.

"That's not funny!"

Her downcast expression morphed into an angry pout that looked too adorable to take seriously, at the corner of his eyes he was almost sure he saw a small twitch of Akane's lips too though he might be delusional. He watched Jane's desperate attempt to gather some solid ice cream onto her spoon only for it to slither down. She repeated the process a few times, before mumbling a distinctive 'Fuck it' and dropping the spoon on the saucer with a clank.

She brought the espresso to her plush lips to take a sip, pleased by the temperature of the liquid. She must have feared her espresso cooled down to the point she wouldn't enjoy it. "Well?"

Akane opened her mouth but he beat her to it. "You possess an interesting choice of assets, Commander."

"The same can be said about your choice of... friends," he heard Akane quip, the hesitation in her voice tangible though for what reason was unknown to him.

"Excellent! I am pleased to see you get along so well." Hackett was mesmerized by the bright smile, beautiful in its sincerity.

"Thanks for being so considerate in meeting my friend, Akane... but could you excuse us so I can talk to my friend privately?" Shepard asked politely, and the thrill of being truly alone with the red-head made Steven's heart jump from excitement, despite the topic at hand. Akane obliged without hesitation as she stood up from her seat and bowed respectively to the Admiral, but also the Commander.

He waited until he was sure Akane was fully out of sight, then spoke.

"I don't like this, Shepard."

"Don't like what?" She feigned ignorance towards his obvious question, making him heave out a sigh.

"That you made a teenager a part of your crew." She scoffed at him pointing out the obvious. She apparently disliked being questioned about her decision, but he couldn't help it when his only intention was to support her. Even if their opinions clashed against each other in a heated battle that would leave them in conflict.

He had already finished with his cappuccino when she put her drink down. "I know what you think but she is... special."

"I am afraid I will need more than that, Shepard." He looked at her, firmly. She returned his gaze, her eyes doubtful yet she chose to lean closer to him. He was taken back by the secretive behaviour, she wanted to tell him something she didn't want the Alliance to know about but also relished the trust she put in him.

"She has abilities, unlike anything I have ever seen." Her voice barely came out as a whisper, only for him to hear.

"In what sense?"

"Akane is not human." She eyed him, almost as if searching for something in his expression. Steven shot a perfectly sculpted brow at her, confusion clearly written all over his face. What Shepard said sounded like complete nonsense towards what he had seen, but he would let her explain.

"She may look like a human but Dr Chakwas says her that her genetic code tells a different story." His brow furrowed, not sure how to make sense of all that.

"Shouldn't you take that to the Council?" was the first thing that came out of his mouth, it was an intergalactic matter and the Council's responsibility to deal with, so why would Jane taker Akane under her wing and thus risk the Council's hardly-earned trust?

"I should, but I respect Akane enough not to sell her out to the Alliance or the Council. I owe her this much."

"What did she do for you to be in her debt?" he asked in bewilderment.

"Oh well, she saved Alenko and captured Balak's lot," she answered casually.

"It wasn't you?" She shook her head in denial.

She got into a more comfortable position and began explaining the whole mission from her perspective. This time including the little details she kept out of her report. Steven listened attentively, starting to get a picture of the girl's prowess. He knew from the start there was clearly something off about Akane, but this exceeded anything he initially associated with her.

"Have you considered her being with Cerberus?" He felt the need to ask, to introduce Shepard to the notion that she might perhaps have a spy among her crew.

"I have not discounted that possibility. That's why I came to you." she rested her elbow on the armrest as she leant her head into the palm of her hand in a contemplative gesture. "I have hoped that you would be more successful in my fruitless endeavour to find out more about her."

"I can't say for sure but I think she has been through something no one should have gone through," he told her what he had noticed during his short time with her.

_Only when those restrictions apply to species that acknowledge the authority of the Citadel Council._

Only now he was capable of understanding the meaning that underlaid Akane's previous sentence and what Shepard was about to say did nothing to simplify the whole situation regarding Akane Uchiha.

"Besides, she came in contact with the prothean beacon, so this alone is enough to make her a valuable asset."


	23. Revelation

„ _Thinking_ "

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: SSV Normandy SR-1 – First Deck - CIC (Combat Information Center)

Shepard POV

The last two days flew by quicker than she realized, though that was always the case with shore leave. It was considerably shorter than her visit of the Citadel after Eden Prime but not less productive. She got to spend some quality time with a certain Admiral, even when it was compromised of serious discussions rather than friendly banter, but she was content enough with the fact that they talked on an informal basis. She liked the way her name sounded from his thin lips. And spoken with his rough voice sent chills along her spine. Other than that, she had made a few arrangements and that was it.

"Joker! How long until we reach Therum?" She rested her hands on the railing in front of the galaxy map, refocusing her attention on the mission ahead.

"In an hour, give or take a few minutes."

"Good... can you inform Tali, Akane and Wrex to begin preparations?"

"All done, Commander." She lifted herself off her initial position and stepped off the podium, walking in the direction of her quarters. She decided it was for the best to head out to grab the doc as soon as possible since she was her best shot at finding out what hand Matriarch Benezia was playing in Saren's grand scheme of things.

She briefly stopped by Alenko, before stepping into her quarters and locking the door. Jane swiftly got out of her standard-issue attire and jumped into her bed for a power nap.

* * *

Location: SSV Normandy SR-1 - Third Deck - Engineer and Storage room

Just like they had agreed, Akane tried to teach Garrus in the art of hand-to-hand combat. And what better way to do it than by sparring? It had taken her mind back to the times when she had been in the turian's shoes... or claws...whatever. Despite being the love of her life, Haruko was first and foremost her teacher. She had learnt nearly everything from him, and that wasn't her being humble... no, it was a fact. On rare occasion was she taught by another veteran, but that was by her mentor's recommendation for diversity in her techniques, hence came the Raiton Chakura Mōdo and Jūken.

They were at their third round when Joker notified them about the incoming mission.

"Seems like you're up, Akane." The turian straightened from his battle stance.

Despite knowing she shouldn't, she couldn't help herself but let out a sharp remark, "Jealous?"

"A bit. I hope the Commander isn't picking favourites."

She knew he meant it as a jest but she was puzzled as well by the selection. She just shrugged and went to check on her weapons and search for her breathing mask as she forgot where she had left it. Eventually, she managed to locate it with the support of Chief Williams, though she suspected her involvement in its disappearance from the barely contained smirk on her face once she found it.

* * *

Location: Artemis Tau - Knossos System - Therum

Akane's nails scraped against the metallic contraption that was keeping her pinned to her seat when the Normandy swooped down and dropped the Mako on the planet. She had difficulty getting used to the impact because she never got the timing right. With the Mako on land, everyone assumed their respective posts with Shepard at the wheel and Tali and Wrex at the weapons.

Therum was a volcanically active world. Even without the lack of professional insight, the kunoichi was sure the Mako couldn't survive even brief contact with the molten lava. And with Shepard's driving expertise... or lack thereof, she had all the reason to feel terrified.

It calmed her to hear Joker through the comm, though the news he brought were less than enjoyable. The ride was bumpy but acceptable in comparison to the rollercoaster on Asteroid X57. Probably because Shepard needn't have to do mountain climbing with a damn infantry fighting vehicle!

At some point, a geth dropship deposited a pair of geth armatures in their path, but Wrex was a quick shot, so it took him, with the combined strength of Tali's machine gun, little to no effort to clear the path. The same pattern repeated over the course of their road until they saw something of an outpost in the distance.

Shepard hit the brakes as soon as she saw the turrets at the entrance. "A frontal attack is suicide."

"Only a fool would walk up on the front gate when its this heavily guarded, there must be a way around." She heard Wrex affirm Tali's statement.

"So sneaky and stealth, huh? Didn't see that one coming from you, Wrex." There was a smirk dancing under Shepard's helmet.

"Krogan invite battles... doesn't necessarily mean we're suicidal," he remarked dismissively.

Luckily for them, there was an alternative which Shepard took without a second guess. They may have cleverly avoided the turrets yet they were greeted by a large unit of geth waiting for them on the inside. The situation became tricky when Wrex and Tali didn't manage to shoot down the geth before their weapons overheated.

The Commander couldn't engage evasive manoeuvres due to the lack of space so they were put in a tight spot. The systems began flaring dangerously when the hull was at its limit, prompting the squad to exit the Mako to divert the geth's shooting elsewhere. Akane barely took cover as a series of rockets came flying her way, the others mirroring her actions.

Instead of acting on her urge to wrap things up with jutsu, she brought forth her pistol and took aim. It was still nowhere near Shepard's or Tali's level, but her performance was enough to ban any shameful thoughts she might have had after Eden Prime.

They were under heavy fire and were lucky if they could get at least a few shots out in between all the ducking, but despite that, the kunoichi began aiming for that one container that she discovered had an explosive effect when she had accidentally missed her target. Her third shot hit its mark and the whole unit was sent flying, the others were set on finishing them.

She earned some well-earned praise from her teammates and there was a strange feeling of satisfaction washing over her. The shinobi of her generation rarely received praise (especially from Tani) because their service was often taken for granted or rather, there were set standards that were expected from each individual to be fulfilled. Akane never searched for appreciation in SSA. Every another day Shirone spent alive was gratification enough.

"Can you help me with getting this compound gate down?" Tali's filtered voice broke her reverie.

"You needn't have asked, Miss nar Rayya." She could have sworn she saw a smile forming behind the quarian's mask, albeit it could have been only her imagination.

"Take the one on the left."

"Be careful," Akane said as she approached gatehouse. Finally being able to freely use her jutsu with the team's absence. Her vision enhanced with the activation of her Byakugan and she instantly became aware of the geth rocket trooper standing guard between her and the objective. It was only one target so she decided it was safe to be a bit... experimental. And she had all the time she needed with Shepard doing repairs on the Mako.

She silently climbed on the flat metal wall and approached the geth from above. It was impossible for them to look up due to their design so she was safe unless there were sensors programmed into their system. She waited, a second, two... when her presence wasn't met with any reaction she descended upon her temporary test subject, sending the dark red geth into the next wall with a powerful kick to the back.

Its rocket launcher bounced off somewhere and Akane turned towards the console, thankful for the simplicity in its usage as she issued the gate to open. She heard the geth stirring from behind her, watchful of its movements with her kekkei genkai. She approached it before it got a footing, and rendered its other guns out of range. It responded with a swing of its synthetic arm which Akane batted away with a swing of her sword.

To her wonder, it got stuck halfway into its bicep and she had difficulty getting it out as it lined up for another swing from its available hand. She let go of the trapped chokutō to be able to duck and rather aggressively separated its other arm from the body with a slash of her second sword that was this time, channelled with lightning release to enhance its cutting power.

Feeling irritated by its persistent resistance, she wrapped things up by pinning it against the wall and cutting off the remaining limbs so it had no other way left to irk her nerves. Oh, how wrong she was about that - because seconds later, it heated up enough to burn skin in a means to self-destruct and she was too agitated to react effectively. She hissed lowly as it seared the parts of her body that held it pressed against the metallic surface. She promptly backed off yet the damage was done.

"Akane?! Is everything all right? I heard crashing sounds and became worried." The young Uchiha turned her head in the direction of the quarian's voice, seeing her standing at the entrance. She looked genuinely worried and the kunoichi was touched by her concern.

"Minor complications, Miss nar Rayya, nothing too serious." She made a move to hide her injured side but the quarian picked up on it.

"You know I can tell you're lying."

She heard her filtered voice chastise her and she tensed a bit as Tali came closer to see what the kunoichi was deliberately trying to keep from her. When Tali confirmed her suspicion, she muttered something Akane's omni-tool picked up as 'bosh'tet', most likely meant as an insult.

"You tried to access the geth's memory core?"

What was she talking about? She attempted no such thing, but she could as well indulge her wrath in favour of clarification.

"Yes." That earned her another 'bosh'tet' that she willingly accepted.

Akane watched her search for something inside her suit, standing still like a child that was getting scolded by its parents. She wanted to object when her three-fingered hand resurfaced with a medi-gel, intent to using her healing jutsu, but knew it was a lost argument on her part.

"This will have to do for now but expect me to drag you to Chakwas after this and..." The Anbu sighed satisfyingly when the pain slightly subsided with the application of medi-gel.

"...And?"

"And you will come to me frequently to learn about the geth since you appear so curious to the point of endangerment," she answered the question she left hanging open with resolve and Akane, strangely enough, was rendered speechless by her offer.

"Girls! We're good to go!" they both jolted when the heard their Commander calling for them.

"I am grateful for your aid, Miss nar Rayya." She bowed deeply before the quarian to show her appreciation for tending the wound she had pointlessly afflicted on herself.

"Don't mention it, we are supposed to look out for each other!" They both walked out of the compound to resume their mission.

* * *

Akane lost count how many of these geth armatures they had crossed paths with when they arrived at a point where they needed to leave the safe hull of the Mako once again. They proceeded through the alleyways with caution though that didn't help them as they stopped at an open area literally filled with geth. This unit was twice the size of the unit they had fought at the outpost, and this time, they didn't have the Mako to provide sufficient firepower.

This called for a tactical approach.

" _Formation 6 would have done the deed."_

The former Buntaichō glanced at Commander, pointlessly expecting a series of hand signals that would have shown what formation they were about to use. Wrex took out his sniper as they were kneeling down behind a rock and Shepard seemed to get the idea he was silently implying.

"Aim for the rocket troopers first." Shepard's command came out as a whisper.

They slowly but surely propped themselves on the flat surface of the stone as they took aim. The geth had yet not noticed them as the first shot rang in the air. Then, another two followed in quick succession as three geth lay on the ground. The rest got instantly alerted to their presence and the skirmish began. It was exhausting in its intensity and when Akane took a glance at what was still ahead of them...

...here they were, panting at the entrance to the mine where they were supposed to find the asari. Each of them looked a little roughed up, their shields were taken down often but nobody sustained any fatal injuries. They could afford to sacrifice a small bit of their time to check on their overall status before descending down into the depths of Therum's underground.

Despite living the longitude of the reaper invasion underground, she still wasn't entertaining the prospect of going into the mines with geth lurking at every corner. Just to be clear, it wasn't even the geth she was worried about but the cave itself. She didn't trust its capabilities to withstand the external damage of an inevitable fight, especially if those damn synthetics were equipped with rocket launchers!

Worries or not, they headed down the entrance tunnel, and the shadows grew bigger. It ensured her that she would blend into the darkness seamlessly as they once again were met with resistance. They pressed almost methodically forward whilst the Anbu participated in the battle in the same manner as she had on Asteroid X57. The further they advanced into the mines the odder the sensations became and it got to the point where it was increasingly distracting.

The scent was most prominent out of all the input she gathered yet one that she struggled to put a name on it. She somehow felt a connection towards this place, even with geth residing here. Shepard did mention the asari being a prothean archaeologist, so her presence here must be in some way connected to her research, which ultimately led Akane to the conclusion that this place was of prothean origin.

That's why she was feeling weird! The prothean part of her remembered the familiar. It remembered the creation of their kin. How faint it may be. The followed interaction with Dr Liara T'Soni only cemented her hypothesis.

The poor woman had been trapped inside a prothean defence mechanism she had accidentally triggered. Her wish to be freed of this uncomfortable position only equalled by the weariness palpable on her fair features. Liara didn't try to lie her way out of captivity, the kunoichi was adept at identifying treachery since she was an experienced practitioner herself.

At least that was the image she had made the world to see. The face of a traitor to all that was left of the population of her kin. A murder. A madwoman. A-

"Hang in there, Liara! We will come and get you!" The red-head vowed and Akane rolled her eyes at her dry sarcasm. Intended or not.

"It's not like she has anywhere left to go." Tali quipped, probably voicing the thoughts of every person present.

"Damn it, Shepard. The only time the turian isn't around to sour my mood and you fill his place." He shook his massive head, making Tali let out a chuckle. The Commander, however, tried to hold her vexed gaze on the krogan but failed when an amused smirk lit up her expression.

"Oh, shut up you two!"

They went a floor lower, this time taking a walk on the platforms rather than step into another defective elevator that had given Akane a fright. There weren't many geth guarding this part, which looked suspicious considering how much resistance they had been met with up until now. There was a small camp at the far back of it, which was of no use to the group once Tali found a way to bypass the security field by the means of a mining laser.

They were at Liara's side in no time and Akane felt the connection stronger than ever. It compelled her to reach out towards the interface the Commander had used to get the asari out of containment. And reach out she did, for her mind unable to successfully block out this sudden desire.

And then it hit her like an invisible punch on her mental barriers. Memories of times not belonging to the present, visions of prothean workers who had been working in this mine. It felt indescribable as she occupied the role of a spectator throughout the whole experience in vivid detail. And strangely enough, she understood their language! If she were to try to explain it, it was almost as if she was inside a touch-induced genjutsu... but from where did this ability come from?

Logic would say it certainly belonged among the side-effects of the prothean beacon yet if it was the case, why had it not shown itself sooner? At the Citadel or the Normandy? She snapped out of it within the span of seconds, glad that her 'little' episode was left unnoticed by the others as she followed them to the elevator. Kami, her head hurt almost as bad as the last time but not enough to leave her incapacitated.

The large tremor that shook the whole mine was not a good sign. "These ruins aren't stable. The mining laser must have triggered a seismic event. We have to hurry, this whole place is caving in!"

Of course it did.

The Commander took the news at heart and reacted promptly, "Joker! Get the Normandy airborne and lock in on my signal. On the double, mister!"

"If I die here, I'll kill him," Wrex growled threateningly, bordering on the edge of anger.

"That is not only unlogical but also impossible," Akane remarked cooly, despite the throbbing in her head.

The krogan regarded the smaller human female with an intense look. He waited for her to shrink away, as it was common for humans, yet her gaze didn't even waver in spite of the warnings the aged krogan threw at her. He felt himself cool down slightly as he focused on the intimidating white of her eyes. This human... Akane Uchiha... was something else.

"You have a point, kid."

* * *

Just when she thought they were free, they arrived at the top level to a stand-off with a krogan and some geth at his back. Liara mentioned this krogan, Saren's 'gun for hire', who was in charge of her retrieval. Shepard gave it a go and tried to reason with him but to no vail, even with the whole 'cave-in-card'. He found it exhilarating... well, she wasn't planning on dying in this ruin.

She picked up a small growl from Wrex but disregarded that as part of his current mood.

They were out in the open, with only the metallic pillars holding the elevator together capable of providing cover. The second the krogan declared battle, the kunoichi swooped Liara up bridal style, and got behind one of the pillars with the Shunshin no Jutsu, eliciting a small surprised yelp from the asari. Her mind wasn't at ease for knowingly abandoning the others in the middle of the room but she undoubtedly believed that they would hold out longer thanks to their shields.

"Miss T'Soni, I ask you-" The Uchiha had to roughly shove the asari aside when a geth sneaked up on them.

Liara cried out in pain as it only managed to hit her foot, which was a miracle on itself at point black range. The Byakugan almost activated out of pure instinct as Akane halved the geth with a precise slash from her chokutō. Damn! She must have overlooked this particular geth. She should have activated it sooner but the pain in her head effectively slowed down her thinking.

"Here, this will help..." She poured some chakra into her palm in order to lift some of the pain in the asari's foot. She wasn't in the right state of mind to control her chakra delicately enough to fully heal the wound but she managed to stop the bleeding.

"Thank you," Liara kept her distressed eyes on the shinobi as Akane reached for the geth's gun to give it to her.

"I will be right back." She tried to give Liara a reassuring smile before she joined the fight. Shepard and Tali were pinned by a nasty geth sniper whilst keeping the other geth at a distance because their shields were down. Wrex was in a similar situation, albeit on the other side of the room.

There was another violent tremor that made everyone lose their balance and Akane took the opportunity to disarm the krogan of his shotgun. However, he regained footing quicker than estimated and shoulder-rammed Akane full force into the nearby wall, knocking the breath out of her lungs.

She dropped to one knee, trying to get air back into her lungs as the mercenary closed in on her with a vicious battle cry. She recovered swiftly beside the aching of her ribs and deactivated her Byakugan in time to activate the Genjutsu: Sharingan, paralysing her target long enough to deliver her most powerful kick that sent him crashing into the wall on the other side of the room. She took out her pistol and rapidly pulled at the trigger in an effort to take down his shields whilst the krogan retaliated, mindful to revert her eyes back to the Byakugan.

"Ha! A worthy opponent! I like females with fire!" His enthusiastic reaction was met with a sharp glance from the kunoichi.

There were endless possibilities to finish him off. She could have melted him down with a simple Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu but she didn't trust her poor condition to handle the size of the flames so she wouldn't accidentally engulf the whole room in flames thus hurting her allies. The geth sniper was focused on Shepard's position so she didn't have to worry about that.

Forced to close-combat, he stormed her way for a tackle which Akane managed to evade in time, taking into account his large range. When he foolishly attempted it again, she was purposefully standing in front of a pillar and graciously side-stepped for the krogan to hit full force into the mentioned structure, creating no small dent that, unbeknown to Akane, caused the release of a cloud of steam which further damaged his kinetic barriers.

She showered him with another rain of gunshots until her pistol gave out due to overheating but it was enough to completely leave him vulnerable. Only then did she take made use of her chokutō, holding them between the krogan and her body.

"You can't harm a krogan with those kitchen knives." he mocked, followed by a dark laugh as if he had her at a disadvantage.

Time pressed on the kunoichi as she thought of a way to get rid of this mercenary sooner than this cave collapsed. He wasn't wrong in his assumption that these swords posed no real threat against his thick hide and body armour, but she was sure he underestimated the sharpness of a sword when enhanced with wind chakra. It was exponentially sharper than lightning.

The krogan must have picked up on the impending danger and stopped with his attacks. That was enough of a delay for an enraged Wrex to send him flying sideways with a kick. "Fuck off, Grodrak! The kid's with me."

Akane flinched slightly as she heard a barrage of shotgun shots aiming at the disarmed krogan on the ground. Grodrak was dead. With nothing to further block their way, most of the squad made a run for it right after another earthquake dropped down on them. In their frantic race towards the exit, nobody noticed Liara getting left behind with her injured foot. There was no time to overthink as the Anbu stopped in her tracks and went the opposite direction to scoop the asari up in her arms, and she in return wound up her elegant arms around her small neck.

She was remarkably light so it was not necessary for Akane to further enhance her strength. Once again making use of the Shunshin no Jutsu to evade all the debris falling down on them. They only stopped once they were out of the ruins, watching the Normandy hovering above them.

"Oh, thank God you made it! I was getting worried!" Shepard let out an exaggerated sigh of relief, her helmet discarded in her hand. Akane nodded to relieve Shepard of her worry, then glanced at the blue-skinned asari in her arms. She expected to be met with fury at her inappropriate behaviour towards the doctor, but it didn't come.

"Are you all right, Miss T'Soni? How is your leg?" wasn't it for the cold in her voice, she would have sounded more convincing in her worry. Liara had a difficult time in keeping eye contact with the shinobi, almost appearing something between precautious and flustered.

"I am tired but otherwise fine. As for my leg, I believe I am capable of walking."

Understanding her clear request, Akane put her gingerly on the ground and stayed by her side for the entirety of their evac to the hovering Normandy nearby.

* * *

Location: SSV Normandy SR-1 - First Deck - Comm Room

Joker welcomed Shepard and the squad back to the Normandy with more than a bit of sarcasm. She had nothing against it if it was his way of coping with the stress. Akane occupied the seat on the right of Chief Williams as the whole crew was present for a joint debriefing after Therum. The Commander, now out of her armour, leant casually against the switched off comm link, having a perfect view of everyone in the circular room.

"We almost died out there and your pilot is making jokes?" Liara asked a bit unbelieving.

Shepard shrugged, being used to her helmsman's antics, "Joker pulled our asses out of there. I think he's earned the right for a few bad jokes."

"I see. It must be a human thing. I don't have a lot of experience dealing with your species, Commander. But I am grateful to you. You saved my life back there. And not just from the volcano. Those geth would have killed me. Or dragged me off to Saren." Only now did Akane perceive the didactic fashion Liara was speaking in and it sounded nothing like her fellow kin.

Sir Alenko tuned in, "What did Saren want with you? Do you know something about the Conduit?"

The Conduit? Now, where had she heard that name before? She knew it held significant meaning but couldn't remember the relation or did she begin to forget? Wait, actually, no! She was certain she had the information but it felt almost as if it was locked up in some part of her brain and she had no key to open it.

Not yet...

Then, in a fated moment of enlightenment did she understand...

She had been horribly wrong to assume she knew everything that was to know about the protheans. In fact, she knew next to nothing about them. She only presumed to know because she hadn't realized up until this point that it was part of a bigger picture. Now everything she had been going through made sense!

Above all else, the beacon's main purpose was to serve as a warning about the Reapers, but also as a means to impart the prothean culture upon the next civilization. However, it was only meant to be received by those of prothean physiology, which was why her mind and body collapsed after the contact.

The beacon had forcibly transferred its knowledge onto Akane because it found a receptive host. It was a life or death situation for the shinobi as she remembered the chaos the transmission stirred inside her conscience. Her body reacted as it deemed fit to ensure her survival by purposefully going into coma. If it hadn't done so, her death would have been inevitable in the face of such a large amount of sensory and memory input. She had been overwhelmed.

But even after her body's best efforts, the intrusion felt as if an obstinate infection had taken root in her body. It was a test of the modifiability of her genes. To see if they would adapt to the 'threat' that it posed for the host. The product didn't produce discernible alterations in the observable characteristics of her physique, but she had grasped on the change within her almost instantly.

Her enlightening experience in the ruins opened her eyes to what was really going on with her body. She thought she had become partly prothean already, but that was not the case, for she was only _in the process of_ becoming prothean. In terms of comparability, the same scenario happened once she had awakened her Sharingan. She couldn't access its powers until she had reached the physical ability necessary to actually act on the visual information.

In other words, her body was getting accustomed to the prothean part. That as much she had gathered when she realized she had no control over her 'memory reading' ability. The ability strongly resonated with anything of prothean origin so she should make an effort in getting ahold of this new asset. Preferably as soon as possible, so she got access to her prothean memories...

...still, it was a lot to take in.

Mutations were not a common thing to happen, moreover for them to turn out to be marginally beneficial was a miracle in itself. Akane didn't believe in a higher power but damn that came awfully close to divine intervention.

Against all odds, she lived to see another day.

Even though it felt as much as a blessing as it was a curse.

She clutched at her head as the headache intensified again, she felt sick but she couldn't reveal her weakened condition in front of the whole crew. She was almost successful in her endeavour wasn't it for Williams.

"Hey, you're looking rather pale... are you okay there, kiddo?" The worry in her brown eyes was distinguishable.

Why did she even care? Akane did nothing to warrant her solicitude. Only shown blatant coldness. The same could be said of the others when her pale eyes landed on Shepard's crew, them expectantly waiting for some sort of reaction from the young Uchiha.

"I do feel rather unwell, may I have permission for a medical inspection?" Her voice was controlled despite her suppressed shivering under her coat.

This was her only option to get away or she wouldn't hold out much longer before the others noticed. She felt the temperature steadily rising in her body although she felt cold... Yep, definitely signs of a fever. If the Commander approved of her demand, then she would head straight for the bathroom, so she could use her medical ninjutsu to try to damper the symptoms.

"Very well, you're dismissed." Akane bowed, then tried not to appear too hasty in her gait as she made her exit, lengthening her strides once she was out of sight. It got to a point where walking down the stairs became strenuous but she managed to set one foot after the other with a helping hand on the wall. It must have felt like an eternity when she finally found herself in one of the public bathroom's stalls, breathing heavily.

She wasn't expecting such a strong reaction from her immune system though at least she was alone to get herself together. That is if she could concentrate enough through this pain. After a series of deep breaths, she felt a pleasant warmth replacing the pain she had been under for quite some time now. She healed herself as much as her condition allowed without risking to disrupt her body's circulation, then left the stall for a much-needed shower.

She left the rest of her treatment to a good few hours of sweating in her sleeping pod.

Only she hadn't realized that her strange behaviour didn't fully go unnoticed.

* * *

Words dictionary:

Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu 火遁・豪火球の術 / Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique \- the user kneads chakra in their body and turns it into fire, which they then expel from their mouth; the more chakra they use, the more flames that are produced. Sometimes the flames lack a distinct shape, being only a stream, but more often than not they take the form of a giant orb that maintains its shape until hitting a target. Upon impact, the fireball is powerful enough to crater the ground and vaporise the surroundings. Against living targets, the fireball can cause extensive burns.

* * *

Author's note: Here is Therum in a nutshell! The mission on Asteroid X57 was longer to emphasize the fact that it was Akane's first mission for a long time and her first time in space in general. Also, I am going to probably do this every time I have something I am not sure how your reaction to it will be but... I just wanted to inform you of some things to avoid possible misunderstandings in the near future.

#1. I am well aware that Therum's surface temperature is 59 °C, therefore Akane shouldn't have been able to move on its surface without proper armour. But! The same should have applied to Liara as well because in the cutscene in ME1 where they sprint towards the exit and make it out of the mines safely, she ran out only in her research robes that offer the same equivalent amount of protection as Akane's attire. Fun fact, there is actually a human colony on Therum but I actually have no idea how they function on such a hot planet, so I am gonna pretend they have some barriers that lower the overall temperature.

#2. I apologize for a mistake I've made in the chapter 'Investigator Shepard On Duty' where Akane stated that she already had the ability to 'read' her environment but I changed that up so she was about to discover it on Therum. For plot purposes and also it seemed to be a bit unfair towards the awesome capabilities of a prothean.

#3. If you wonder how on earth is Akane able to punch a fully grown krogan to the other side of the room at fifteen... remember it was her full power with chakra augmentation. Akane is nowhere near Sakura or Tsunade in terms of raw power but this is as far as she can go up until this point. Just look at what Sarada had displayed at the end of the Shin arc.


	24. Trust Is A Dangerous Game

„ _Thinking_ "

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: SSV Normandy SR-1 - Second Deck - Captain's quarters

Shepard POV

Jane's finger loosely travelled over the display of her datapad, though her forest-green orbs were trained intently on its contents. Her brows furrowed as she planned ahead, trying to sort out how to balance out the assignments given to her by the Alliance and her duties as a Spectre. It was a ton of work but she made peace with the fact that it came with the job and accepted it willingly with the knowledge that her efforts contributed to the betterment of the future.

In spite of Councilor Sparatus' discontent, who never ceased to find fault in Shepard's actions, Therum was a success.

Sadly, Liara had nothing ground-breaking in concern of her mother's behaviour and was visibly distraught by the news, that at least assured Jane that she was innocent in Benezia's involvement. Shepard couldn't really sympathize because she didn't know what it was like to have a mother... or a parent altogether, but the least she could do was offer support. And it was up to the Liara to take it if required.

She also thought about Akane, who she hadn't seen around for a period that had her worrying. She knew she felt responsible for her crew's well-being, far more than any other Captain, yet when it came to the teen she became extra concerned. She couldn't explain it, this gut-wrenching worry that made her want to see her in good health. But she pushed those urges back rather than indulge herself in them, lest she end up successfully depriving Akane of her privacy she deserved.

Perhaps Jane could pay her a small visit after the two smaller shakedowns on Edolus and Sharjila. Speaking of which, she should drop Ashley and Kaidan a line via Joker that they should get prepared.

* * *

Location: SSV Normandy SR-1 - Third Deck - Engineering and Storage Room

Tali POV

No matter how much she tried, she could not get these dreadful thoughts of concern for a certain someone out of her head. A human nonetheless! It wasn't that she was distrustful of them, otherwise, she wouldn't have joined the Normandy's crew. What she didn't expect, when she had signed up on this mission, was to be on this beauty of a ship. They had an actual tantalus drive core! Much to her initial surprise and giddy excitement, she was allowed to examine this product of modern technology!

And the crew with the Captain was surprisingly welcoming and respectful towards someone of her status, unlike Chellick and those bastards at Illium's docking bay. Weren't it for their distrust and prejudice, Jacobus wouldn't have had enough time to land on Illium first and plan an ambush that resulted in the death of Honorata's whole crew. Good thing she managed to burn the turian mercenary to a crisp, but everything came at a cost... and the Honorata paid the price.

Luckily Shepard was inclined to equality between species and Tali actually felt accepted, but no one ever... EVER... addressed her as politely as Akane. The teen had manners that were uncommon among normal folk, well not that uncommon, more like the refined type of speech the asari are known for. Moreover, Tali fully lost it when she had been referred to as 'Ma'am', which left her flabbergasted for a minute straight.

She had strongly suspected she was being played a fool or there was some sort of ulterior motive behind this strange behaviour, but it took one look at the human to know that she wasn't indeed, toying with her. Since leaving the Migrant Fleet, the galaxy had proven to be a treacherous place, it might have been seen insignificant to any other, but to her, it felt like the first stepping stone of something grand that she wouldn't want to jinx.

She had found an attentive listener in the young woman that paused her saddened mood and reignited the passion and pride she thought long lost. She wasn't just that second-class citizen in her eyes. Just another quarian to look down upon. Not once did she judge and she found her open-mindedness refreshing. Just what she needed after losing Keenah.

But she was getting off the topic, Akane had truly looked pallid, she had said so much herself that she felt unwell. And then when she had followed her to the bathrooms, instead of seeing the med-bay as agreed, she realized it must have been something urgent.

She wondered if it was due to the burn she had acquired secretly when Tali caught her skirmish with the geth but doubted the human immune system to be this weak. Most definitely not. There had to be something else behind it, and Tali was set on discovering what that was.

So began her search for Akane.

* * *

Location: SSV Normandy SR-1 - Second Deck - Crew's quarters

" _Damn that fever is persistent._ "

Her condition didn't get better at all with sleep. Her short intervention with her healing seemed to have been only temporary relief of pain but not the definite solution. Another pang to her temples was enough for her to drop her search for a way for treatment and just let the illness take its course.

She reached over to her small nightstand for her bottle of water, only to grunt when she found it emptied. Shit! There was no way she would get all the way to the bathroom with these wobbly legs without drawing any attention. And that made her feel pretty pathetic. It took her all to suppress her shivering from under her blankets whenever somebody walked by. To pretend that she was having a simple nap.

She felt vulnerable, and if somebody came to kill her, she would be too weak to defend herself. She hoped she managed well-enough to conceal her condition when she had made her way from the bathrooms towards her sleeping pod. But there was always a possibility. And she dreaded to think of the outcome should this possibility come to pass.

As if on cue, as if fate acted on her fears, someone came into view.

It was... Tali?

She felt her heartbeat rapidly against her ribcage to the point where it was the only sound resonating in her eardrums. An eerie silence hung between them and it sent Akane's mind reeling. She closed her eyes and sank further into the mattress as if it would offer some kind of escape.

Why was she here? Did she notice? Did she come to kill me? Did she-

"Keelah! You're burning up, you bosh'tet!"

Tali was by her side quicker than her tired eyes managed to follow, the sensation of a three-fingered hand ghosting over her sweaty forehead felt alien. Akane realized she wasn't going in for the killing blow but instead, the quarian merely assessed her temperature and all her doubts immediately dissipated. An unfound feeling of safety engulfing her distressed mind.

Her vision began to blur, signalling that she was close to falling asleep again. And for some reason, she didn't fight it.

* * *

Tali POV

By now probably everyone knew that she searched for Akane because there wasn't any person on this starship who she hadn't asked where she could possibly be. So much for discretion but she became a bit desperate at the end. Good thing Kaidan was around to give her a clue where to look.

But the sight she was met with left her quite... shocked.

In front of her wasn't Akane Uchiha. At least not the one she was used to seeing in public.

In front of her was someone who needed help even if the person itself in most scenarios rarely required it. Frankly, she hadn't seen the teen in such a weakened state. Without her aura of total control and all those traits she associated with Akane, the difference might become staringly apparent to anyone who had met her.

But what had an immense impact on her made Akane's expression when she came closer.

Pain, angst, worry, anticipation...

There were so many emotions whirling in the dark of her eyes. This wasn't like the impassionate Akane she knew. No. This was a new side of her and for a moment she felt as if she intruded on something personal. Yet for some reason, she couldn't simply walk away either.

She couldn't tell if this was enough to draw out her sympathetic side but it appeared to be so as she closed the remaining distance between them in a few strides. The human looked positively frightened by her actions and it made Tali's insides clench painfully at the image. Akane looked as if she was facing certain death.

Tali couldn't understand why the teen expected to be taken advantage of her weakened condition but it showed how brittle her trust in others was. Tali was aware of the fact they didn't know each other for too long but she thought they'd already established some form of trust, at least on a professional basis. And it left her dismayed when she realized it wasn't mutual.

But she couldn't very well begrudge the teen for it either. Quite the opposite, her sympathy for her deepened. It was facile to forget that she was still considered a child, especially because of her matureness. And Tali somehow felt a sense of responsibility for her. She had been the one to ask of her help on Therum and Akane had been the one to act on her request. So Akane's wound was on her account.

When she noticed Akane had fallen asleep, she looked up some guides on how to break human fevers, because she doubted it was the same as with her people. She inconspicuously hurried so she wouldn't let Akane alone for too long, coming back with lots of water and damp cloth, which she adjusted on the teen's fiery forehead.

When everything was set out to her own satisfaction, she made herself comfortable on a free sleeping pod in close proximity to Akane and stood watch. Watchful of every indication that somehow threatened her stable condition or simply as support should she wake up delirious.

* * *

She balanced on the edge of her consciousness and the dreamscapes of her mind.

Frequently switching between the two different states, yet never lingering too long in each of them. It was a lost fight if she tried to resist, but she always caught a glimpse of a violet expanse, albeit vaguely. She tried to figure out what it was in amidst all the stimulations her sensitive skin perceived, but repeatedly failed.

On her third run, she managed to connect the dots and realized it was Tali. She didn't feel as tired out as on her previous attempts to stay up longer and rested her glossy eyes on the quarian. Even without the Byakugan, Akane could tell she was relaxed whilst she intently focused her attention on her omni-tool. Not typing, only watching. A film? Or something of that sort? Her logical reasoning was a bit cut short.

She was perplexed about the quarian's actions, her thoughtfulness for which she certainly did nothing to deserve. She had been using her as an information source all the time, for her own benefit, and it hadn't even crossed her mind to consider her to be something more. She briefly wondered if she knew, but she most likely wouldn't be so kind to her if she did.

When had she become so distrustful?

_When you decided to become a shinobi._

When had she lost hope in the good of people?

_When you entered the darkness._

Where had she failed?

_When you tried to do everything on your own._

(Flashback)

Location: Somewhere near the Abenjazū Hideout

Time: Abenjazū Downfall

She allowed herself to indulge in a moment of remembrance, as she stood atop a familiar skyscraper. Their secret hideout. A place that held great meaning to her. The same place they had declared their love for each other. Under the fading rays of the sunset.

She wished it could last forever, but of course, it couldn't. Nonchalantly did she slowly put those warm feelings aside, because if she kept them there, it would make what was to come even harder. Her head had to be clear and heart empty to accomplish her mission, otherwise she would falter.

But something didn't feel right...

Quicker than she realized who it was, Haruko teleported to her location. A pained cry left him, which put her heart to a stop, as he fell on his knees. "Haruko!"

She was by his side, doing everything in her power to somehow ease his pain. She tried everything, from Sharingan to medical ninjutsu... yet nothing seemed to have the desired effect when he clutched his head tighter.

"My love, I am sorry..." he whined; a sound that she had never heard of him before and it caused something to crack in her heart.

"What happened?"

He shouldn't be here! Iijima sent him specifically on a long-term mission to avoid him getting involved, so what was he doing here?

He was breathless from the constant tension in his body but he managed to explain, "I tried to use Kotoamatsukami on Tani to get him to call off the coup d'etat but it was a trap."

"Why?" She knew it was futile to ask what she already knew.

As much as she hated herself that she had plotted behind his back and therefore abused his trust. She knew if he had knowledge of her plans, he wouldn't let her do this alone, but the selfish person she was, she didn't want him to suffer with her. Not when she could avoid it.

"I couldn't let you kill your own family." Another violent shudder took over his body when tears began running down his face, the physical and emotional stress he was under finally showing its extent.

She wasted no time gathering him in her arms, his hands clutching at her coat. He had told her of his families death and what it had done to him. He did this because he didn't want her to go through the same, out of his pure love for her. She swallowed a lump in her throat, the intense emotions suffocating her.

"How?" Her voice never sounded so meek.

"Our chakra is the only thing protecting us from the Reapers' influence, but when I inserted myself into Tani's indoctrinated mind I became vulnerable to its effects."

"Listen... the Reapers... I can't hold out much longer. You must- Aargh!" Haruko tore himself from her grasp, thrashing on the ground in a desperate attempt to shake off the voices inside his head. Akane stood petrified at what he had implied.

No, no, no, no... She could never-

"Please! I don't want them to use me as a tool to hurt you! You have to **kill me**!" he cried out loud, and there was no way she could hold back her tears any longer.

He had no idea what he asked of her. Every fibre of her being rioted against the mere suggestion but in the end, there was an undeniable truth to his words. Nobody knew the true extent of indoctrination, but it was clear to say that the process was irrefutable. Akane squinted her eyes, still trying to convince herself that this wasn't real, yet she couldn't run away from it. He begged her to end his life so he wouldn't become a threat to those he loved and she respected his choice, however, it didn't make it any easier.

A relieved look appeared on his pained expression as he watched his lover unsheathe her chokutō. The swords quivering in her grip as she levelled it on his chest. Ragged breaths were leaving her mouth, close to hyperventilation if she didn't act soon. She looked for the last time into the very eyes she loved so much, before driving her blade through his clothed chest.

"I am sorry..." she whispered and she felt her heart shatter in but a single moment. A gasp followed by a sharp intake of breath came out of him whilst the sword penetrated his skin and Akane forced her gaze onto his eyes, no matter how much her heart screamed at her to avert from this agonizing sight, her determination was stronger so she could be with Haruko through every single moment.

"I never meant for this to happen. I wanted to spare you from the pain but in the end, I did more wrong than good. Can you forgi-" The kunoichi cut him off by pressing her lips to his, trying to convey all of her pent-up emotions...

They both wished time would just stop for them. "My life may belong to Shirone, but you have my heart. In life as in death," she hiccuped, "I love you."

Another stream of tears ran freely down his cheeks at the confession. For the first time in many years did a smile appear on Haruko's face. A smile holding such joy as well as sadness that made the reality of what was to come so much crueller.

"I love you, too, my love." He sucked in a breath, with his last strength he held onto her left shoulder, where her anbu tattoo laid, and with the other cupped her cheek to rest his forehead against hers in a loving gesture. Their last but most meaningful.

He knew she needed it for what was to come. From now on she would be forced to walk down a long, dark path. One that was filled with pain and suffering. Compared to her, his pain would be over in an instant. Oh, how he wished he could be with her through it all, but in his dread, he knew she wouldn't falter from her path, because he believed in her. He was selfish in his desire to taste her one more time before his road definitely ended and she welcomed his lips without hesitation.

Here they were, at the same place they had declared their love for each other did it also come to an end. Under the fading rays of the sunset for the darkness to settle in.

And with that Uchiha Haruko breathed his last in the arms of his lover.

Along with tears of blood, the Mangekyō was born.

(Flashback end)

"Oh! I haven't realized you were awake!" Tali bolted up from her comfortable position and Akane blushed that she was caught staring, not knowing what to say to the quarian or even noticing the small droplets running down her humid face. She had been crying, and the last person who had seen her crying was Shirone, right after she...

She swallowed thickly, Tali taking it as a clue to press the glass of water to her chapped lips. Akane didn't fight it, couldn't in fact, for she wouldn't turn down such generous offer... and she wouldn't want to ruin their relationship (if there ever was one) by rejecting her.

"Thank you." she rasped through her sore throat, receiving an automatic 'Don't mention it.' by the quarian. The same choice of words she had used on Therum after she had healed her wound.

It became shamefully apparent to her that she disregarded Tali's genuine concern as fake. And sadly not only once, but twice! She became blind to the positive things in life in the face of her demons from the past. And deep down she knew that she didn't want to be shackled to them any longer. But as in most cases, qualms ate away at her resolve.

Would she be able to leave the darkness? Who will save her from her darkness?

In a rare moment of clarity, never before had she been this certain about the answer.

No one. Because there was no saviour other than herself. She must become her own hero because life was now in her hands. And with the borrowed time that had been gifted to her, she had the chance to become someone _she_ wanted to be. Someone Shirone would be proud of.

_Just live your life, be happy, smile and laugh, enjoy the time that had been given to you and don't you dare to come back without being an old hag with lots of kids! Promise me!_

_"I promise."_

It was time to step out and embrace life anew.

* * *

Words dictionary:

Kotoamatsukami 別天神 / Distinguished Heavenly Gods \- Is the ability of Haruko Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan that works only when both of the Sharingan are present. The technique allows the user to enter the mind of any individual within their field of view, and manipulate them by giving them false experiences, making it seem as if they were doing things of their own free will.

* * *

Author's note:

Hope you're still having a good time even when the world's currently a mess! There is an issue that I would like address before some die-hard naruto fan throws this to my face: I know it's a lame move from me to just copy the abilities of Obito's (in case of Shirone) and Shisui Uchiha's (in case of Haruko) Mangekyō Sharingan. Both of them had a strong impact on Naruto Shippūden, which I am not going to delve into because you know what I am talking about, to know that they are their signature moves and I respect that. However, we have to consider that nobody reckoned with the possibility of techniques repeating over the course of generations, even in case of the Mangekyō Sharingan. I am aware that most of them are unique but I am not Masashi Kishimoto to be able to invent such abilities from scratch (and with the risk of making it too overpowered). However, it is only these two, otherwise, Akane has her own unique abilities, which will be exploited over the course of the story. If this explanation isn't sufficient enough then deal with it!


	25. First Steps

„ _Thinking_ "

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: SSV Normandy SR-1 - Third Deck - Engineering and Storage Room

Shepard POV

"Hey, Garrus!"

"Oh, I didn't see you there Commander. How was the mission?" he recoiled from his distracted state.

"It certainly didn't lack action." The turian chuckled.

Aside from the dangers, she was inwardly glad that she had visited Sharjila. Otherwise, she wouldn't have stumbled upon those pirates by accident. It was a challenge to clear out their base of operation, her party had taken quite a punch, especially from the head of the band. The asari slaver wasn't asari commando level, but her biotics were strong enough to overpower Alenko's L2 implant. Since the Artemis Tau cluster fell under Earth Systems Alliance Space, all the data they had managed to retrieve went immediately to the Alliance to support Alliance recon and suppression efforts.

But she had something different in mind right now.

"Uh- Do you need something from me, Commander?" he asked, fiddling with his talons as Shepard's thoughts trailed off.

"Have you seen Akane by any chance?" Jane voiced what had her mind bugging, her tone laced with a mix of hope and worry.

"Sure, we just finished our sparring session as per usual." Jane let out a relieved sigh, much to the turian's amusement.

"Now there's nothing to be solicitous about, Commander, she is in good health," he affirmed and Jane rewarded him with a small smile for easing her worries.

"If you cross paths make sure to greet her on my behalf, okay?" Jane turned on her heels to prepare for their shakedown on Edolus. Garrus' witty remark falling on deaf ears but nevertheless bringing a laugh to her lips.

* * *

Her fever went down, eventually, though she expected nothing else to happen after Tali's consistent care. It had come to the point where it was almost annoying but Akane indulged her. It was difficult to shake her off after recovering, but the Anbu assured her with a promise that she would visit her later on.

True to her word, the kunoichi went to her after her combat lessons with Garrus, who made steady improvements in his hand-to-hand combat if she might add. The engineering room was one of the two places Akane hadn't been in, so there were a few glances thrown at her when she entered it. Her pale eyes widened in awe as she took in the massive drive core behind the consoles, the light it gave off whilst functioning almost blinding in its intensity.

"It's fascinating, isn't it?" she heard the quarian comment, Akane nodded in lack of a proper answer.

"Are you feeling better?" Tali asked the same question for the millionth time and the shinobi resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the abundance of it.

"Much better."

"Glad to hear it. So... when do you want to begin?" Akane's brows shot up at the question. " _Begin with what?_ "

"I promised you some lessons on the geth, remember? On Therum?" Tali clarified.

After careful consideration, Akane responded, "Now is as good as any."

"Splendid!"

And so began a small history lesson followed by a more in-depth analysis of the overall construction of the inorganics. She moved through different topics effortlessly (all revolving around technology), even though Akane made a poor participant due to the absence of experience on the topics at hand. Her obvious inactiveness was oblivious in the face of passion with which the quarian spoke about her favourite theme - ship technology.

There were many things Akane understood... but it was equalled in numbers she didn't. At least she got to learn how the Normandy operated. Tali professionally explained it to her, which meant in a primitive way, with the occasional input of the local expert Lieutenant Grey Adams, who listened in to their conversation. She didn't even notice the Commander coming back from her mission until her voice could be heard through the speakers.

"Alright, guys! Awesome news: We are heading home!" The human majority of the crew was vivid with cheers. Well, up to the point when she decided to ruin the joyful mood by adding, "For a mission!"

A collective round of disappointed groans echoed all around the Normandy with a distinctive, derisive laugh from Wrex next door and Akane couldn't hold back her enjoyment any longer. An unrestrained smile adorned her otherwise blank expression and it felt almost foreign to her muscle memory. For once it didn't feel forced, for once it did not feel faked and it gave her a sense of freedom.

"With all due respect Commander, that was an effective buzzkill." Joker's voice cut in.

"I learn from the best."

"Uh-uh, don't throw this on my account, I am not eager to get on their chopping block."

* * *

The Commander did end up going on a mission; to Luna. Earth's moon. But she didn't take Akane with her, instead choosing Tali and Garrus, depriving the kunoichi of the only to beings on this ship she felt decently comfortable talking to. Now she felt the effects of boredom creep up on her and it left her wandering the Normandy for anything to busy her mind with.

Seemed like that 'anything' led her into the field of interest belonging to a certain krogan.

"Hey, kid! You're in for something?" She heard Wrex guttural voice calling for her. The way he asked was akin to a smuggler offering drugs on a dark street but Akane didn't feel deterred, so she came closer.

"For what, Sir?"

A flash of amusement flashed through his expression before it was replaced by... thoughtfulness, perhaps? Ugh, she was getting a hand of turian expressions but she still had a long way to go when it came to the krogan ones. Perhaps she would make better improvements in the krogan apartment as well if she interacted with Wrex more often.

"Garrus been giving shooting lessons?"

"I believe you can answer that for yourself when you've been constantly watching us, Sir." The kunoichi replied sharply. She had felt his gaze scrutinizing her when she wasn't facing in his direction. Despite his intimidating krogan nature, he was subtle in his spying, but he should know better than to spy on a shinobi.

The only response she got was a good laugh that left her confused.

"You remind me of an old friend - Aleena."

"You aren't getting sentimental on me, Sir?" she quipped tauntingly.

"Hah! As if!" Wrex reacted spontaneously, tempting her to inquire more about his friend, however, she waited in pleasant silence in case he wanted to drop the subject here and there. When his attempt failed, he relented and began freely talking about it, which was strange in itself because he rarely talked about himself. She had pegged him as a guy who minded his own business and was only in for the money. Casual mercenary persona. Perhaps she was a bit hasty in her judgement.

"So, I headed back to the diplomat to give him the good news and collect my pay. But before I got halfway there, Aleena sent me a message: Better luck next time."

"A praiseworthy performance though I am unable to find in which way we are similar," she concluded after half an hour of Wrex's storytelling, expecting the krogan to elaborate.

"You're both tough women," he snorted, "and crazy bitches." It took her all not to sputter at the description along with a second longer to collect herself but they were in no rush.

Akane had a fair amount of insults thrown at her during her short fifteen years of life, though most of them tend to be more of the offensive nature rather than complimentary. It caught her off guard to hear the latter. Nevertheless, since they were at it, there had been an unresolved issue at the back of memory that she couldn't wrap her head around involving the alien in front of her and she decided it was best to ask now when Wrex was in such a talkative mood.

"I've been meaning to ask you something, Sir?"

"Huh, go ahead."

"That krogan on Therum - Godrak - you seemed to have been greatly displeased by his appearance. May I inquire why?"

Of course, there was more to the question than it sounded. It was safe to assume that Wrex had known him from business, as from their shared profession, but that didn't explain his resentment towards this particular one of his kin. She sensed a story behind it but knew all too well that Wrex wasn't one to share much of his private life, not even with Shepard. Though perhaps given time...

"I don't like him. End of the story."

"Why, though?"

"If you want stories, ask the qua-"

"Tali." Akane pinned him with a threatening look, her voice dangerously low, "her name is Tali'Zorah nar Rayya."

He didn't flinch, she knew he wouldn't, but that was not the point of it. Her intention was to draw a line, one that if he chose to cross, there would be serious repercussion from her side. Tali was her first friend she had made since her... let's call it: awakening. And even then it was a fragile relationship as it happened just recently. So she was protective over it, as she had always been in these matters.

"-ask Tali." he gritted through his teeth, his restraint palpable but she was surprised he had given in to her demand. Wrex wasn't an asshole, but next time he should think twice before making fun of her friends when the kunoichi was around.

"Anyway, there is something more important than shitty banter." he continued on as if the tension between them never existed.

"And that is?"

"The riddance of turian supremacy in your marksmanship."

* * *

Location: Arcturus Stream - Arcturus - Arcturus Station

Hackett POV

A week of relentless digging on part of the Admiral's team and the results were never so disappointing. Akane Uchiha, as she directly identified herself, if it even was her true name, was in no records (at least in those accessible to the Alliance). It was nearly impossible to remain fully anonymous when there were so many methods of exposure. Either by surveillance, scanners to a regular omni-tool.

Information was a powerful resource these days, valuable in its variety of usage ranging from a tool for achieving goals to a means of profit and etc. Sometimes it took one simple fact about a person, a lead, to find out their identity but even that was hardly helpful in case of the teenager. It was as of she had never existed in the first place.

They had her full name and some scans of her physique, so where was the problem? They had everything they needed at their disposal.

There were two identities who Steven knew could accomplish such a feat. The Shadow Broker or the Illusive Man, expecting the latter in this case. That enigmatic figure was known for his human-centric diatribe but he never imagined the Illusive Man to go as far as conducting experiments on humans. On the other side, there wasn't much intel on the pro-human syndicate known as Cerberus.

Needless to say, that put the mysterious teenager at an advantage that opened many possibilities Steven wasn't sure she even realized. Though taking her intelligence into consideration, she might as well know. Out of all of Shepard's crew, he distrusted Akane the most. He had nothing to use against her to protect Jane should it ever come to her endangerment and he disliked feeling powerless which was funny considering he was one of the most influential figures within the System Alliance.

Despite his misfortune at finding more about Akane, he was glad lady luck was on Shepard's side. She made another addition to her crew with Liara T'Soni. Deriving from the Commander's report, there was enough evidence to conclude that the geth were after Benezia's daughter. For what? Hard to say, though he didn't doubt that her prothean expertise played a major role in it.

Speaking of her crew, one of the Rear Admirals serving under his fleet requested for an inspection of the Normandy for the Joint Military Council. Reaching out for his datapad, he looked up the message from the man. Ah, _Rear Admiral Mikhailovich, 63rd Scout Flotilla_. He was one of the few votes against the co-development of the Normandy, though not out of racial reasons, but because he believed the vessel was overdesigned, costing a huge amount of credits that could have been better spent elsewhere; the frigate cost as much as a heavy cruiser.

Unlike some of the others, he made a valid point, though Steven suspected his anger, which stemmed from the placement of the Normandy under the command of Shepard instead of him, also motivated him to this surprise inspection, as the ship was originally to be a part of his flotilla.

At any rate, he would definitely express his concerns to Jane soon enough. And it crossed his mind to give the Commander a warning but he decided against it as to not raise the suspicion that the Alliance brass had something to hide.

He heaved another disappointed sigh as he leisurely skimmed his eyes over the display of his terminal.

After taking care of the rogue VI on Luna, Shepard planned to head towards the Citadel for shore leave and that left many opportunities in his head. It crossed his mind several times to ask the red-head out for dinner but he neither found the courage nor time. Or something else was amiss. Their working schedules were overlapping one another and it was difficult to find a date where they both were off duty.

_You're just making excuses Steven! You're a goddamn Admiral you estúpido! Have some backbone!_

For once his ridiculing thoughts did encourage him to do something.

* * *

Location: Serpent Nebula - Widow - Citadel

As it always was when they had shore leave, those that the Commander had no need of quickly dispersed besides the two poor devils that would go with her. Thank Kami she wasn't one of those today, because the Commander didn't get to walk two steps before she was halted by some straight-up ass from the System Alliance followed shortly after by an equally hostile reporter asking for an interview.

The details had been lost to her since she observed from afar with the Byakugan though it was apparent by Williams' jaw clenching that these conversations weren't pleasant. Growing discontented by watching Shepard, she left the Normandy to find a way to sate her boredom.

This was how Akane ended up with an abundance of free time she didn't know how to spend, though she had to be careful when wandering the space station. Last time she checked she was still on the 'wanted patients list', so she had to disguise herself every time she wanted to go out. She meant what she had said to the Admiral.

She wouldn't want to cause unnecessary trouble for the Spectre and she would stay true to her word. To repay everything Shepard had done for her.

* * *

Words dictionary:

Estúpido = Idiot


	26. The Three-headed Dog

„ _Thinking_ "

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: SSV Normandy SR-1 - Second Deck - Captain's quarters

Shepard POV

Damn, there was no denying it, she was seriously pissed.

Normally, she wouldn't have a problem with anger management, though never before had her limits been tested to this extent as they had been yesterday. Those two! Dear God, they had managed to rile her up quicker than Councillor Sparatus. And that was saying something. It was an easier task to apply self-control in the Rear Admiral's presence, even though he hurled a round of ridiculous accusations her way.

But that Jilani woman!

She was fortunate to have switched on the live feed before she began her interview because Jane was more than once tempted to slap her over the course of their talk. It got almost to the point she was begging for it with those questions. She knew that reporters could be a handful bunch, though she wasn't prepared to be faced by such an insolent bitch. Either way, she bit the bullet. But on a serious note. The nerve!

Jane swore she felt Williams reaching her boiling point. And for a moment she feared that it would get the better of her if Jilani wouldn't have shut her mouth just in time.

A few days went by.

She expected her wrath to be quickly deflated by now since she knew they weren't worth it anyway, but it simply didn't go away for some reason. Perhaps this frustration amassed over time, gathering on strength each time she shoved it away behind her commander mask, which was obviously not a healthy way of dealing with it. So much that it had become difficult to hide.

Naturally, she had no time to deal with such frivolous things. Plus she had an image to uphold. It wouldn't do the first human Spectre well to display signs of physical violence towards an inhabitant of the Citadel. Even in case, the 'inhabitant' was a bitch.

It wasn't even that, that had her so reeling. It was the disappointment in her own race that had her this furious. She knew people varied in their opinion about her, but at least for the sake of humanity, they shouldn't try to waste her time with their ludicrous problems.

She desperately needed to blow off some steam. Or else she feared this frustration would definitely become an issue on her mission. However, she wasn't the type to let it out on her crew. They weren't the ones deserving of her rage. Nobody did. It was her baggage to carry, not anyone else's. The problem lied within its riddance.

She irritatingly tapped her finger on the desk of her room in search of an acceptable solution. When none was found, she retaliated to an internal way of cooling off.

" _Take deep breaths, Jane_."

 _One. Two. Three._ The tip of her finger began hurting from the increased tapping but she didn't mind.

Nothing.

" _Just don't think about it._ "

Her eyes couldn't remain idle, as were her thoughts.

Still nothing.

Was there no way to get rid of this unnecessary emotion?

Fucking hell.

Her feet carried her out of the captain's quarters quicker than her mind could protest. She was mindful to avoid eye contact on her way there, knowing some could take her behaviour personally.

* * *

"You're too focused on you're defence. Your brain and your body are units used independently from one other, Mister Vakarian."

"Independently? Didn't you say that I have to think while fighting?" Garrus asked incredulously.

"You are correct, however, it takes time for the signals to reach your body thus you lose precious fighting time," Akane explained carefully.

"Sounds impossible." His long arms slumped.

 _Not if you have chakra._ Certainly, she did take his lack of the aforementioned source into account and therefore focused on sharpening his senses to their limit along with his taijutsu. A skill that would become most useful also in his marksmanship. For this, he needed to trust the movement in his body and believe in his strength.

They had been at it longer than usual though she hadn't heard the turian complain. The kunoichi wanted to point out another remark when the Commander suddenly came into her line of sight. Garrus noticed her shift of focus and also looked over at the red-head.

"Humans don't deal with stress the way turians do, but the Commander looks like she needs to vent." He looked at Akane for affirmation which she gave him seconds later.

Shepard gaze was mostly set on the ground as she rummaged the storage for something. A bag filled with sand? A boxing bag that was as big as the Commander herself. As soon as she found a sufficient place to hang it, the thumps of her fist were the only sound echoing in the third deck. For none would dare to interrupt or even approach her in this state. Not even Wrex, and he was a damn krogan!

In and of itself, anger wasn't problematic, as a matter of fact, it was quite normal. However, how one handled their anger or even the manner in which they deal with an angry person could be problematic if mismanaged.

Unlike herself, she couldn't control someone else who was angry or what they may choose to do in a fit of anger. Depending on the individual, their history and a series of other factors, they may be the type to lash out or otherwise express their anger openly (*cough* as in Ashley's case *cough*). Taking Shepard's personality into consideration, she was closer to avoid contact with anyone until she had dealt with the source of her anger.

Akane's best option to pick was walking away. As she was still in the process of finding out about the red-head, she wasn't fully aware of what the Commander was capable of or what lengths she would go to if provoked. Walking away would ensure her safety but on the other hand...

Shepard was trying to 'vent' by physical exercise, which in itself wasn't a bad approach. She herself had done it in a familiar way. She had been in such a state for well over three years, so she spoke from experience when fearing that this method might be deficient for a woman of such type.

Garrus seemed to pick on what was going through her head and proposed, "Maybe she would feel like sparring?"

He threw a suggestive look at the kunoichi and she arched a brow at him in return. _Dammit, Garrus! You coward... Shepard could as well have a note sticking on her back saying: Don't approach me! - and now she was supposed to fight an enraged Spectre. Fucking great!_

She couldn't be too harsh with the C-Sec Officer for they shared a similar idea. Nobody had the guts nor the close combat expertise as the Anbu had, so she was the most logical choice to confront Shepard. It was crucial for the Commander to be in the right state of mind to ensure further progress in her mission thus making it a matter of utmost importance for Akane.

A perfectly audible sigh left her lips, " _Here goes nothing._ "

* * *

Location: SSV Normandy SR-1 - Third Deck - Engineering and Storage Room

Shepard POV

Jane was so engorged in her punching that she almost didn't hear the cool voice of Akane calling for her attention. She glanced at her, then resumed her ongoing activity, in hopes the younger woman would understand her wish to be left alone. The red-head was shell-shocked when the opposite occurred since Akane had always been compliant up until this point.

"Kid, leave me alone." Shepard inwardly cringed as the words slipped her mouth.

She never called her that because she had made her reasons clear as to why. Jane knew all too well that the teen disliked being called a 'kid' as the sharp glances at Wrex, who was literally the only one calling her that, suggested it.

Though she also hoped it was enough of a verbal warning to deter her from bothering her further. Jane didn't want in her frustration to say things she didn't mean, but it became increasingly difficult to employ self-control and Akane's disobedience somehow only worsened it.

"Come, Ma'am." The way it sounded like a command as she was led away from the boxing bag left her gob-smacked. In nought but a second, a hand came flying her way, and green eyes stared wide-eyed at the teen when Jane barely evaded the attack. Akane retreated her hand and got into her Chinese martial arts position.

 _How dare she?_ If her blood hadn't been boiling because of her moments ago, it sure did now. Her insolence, which was absolutely absurd to even associate with Akane, reminded her of Jilani and with that - her rage had reached its peak.

" _If that's how she wants it. Then so be it._ "

Thirty minutes later...

" _Okay, okay I am done._ " For all her dramatic talk, she got utterly defeated.

The pants left her in rapid succession as her shoulders bowed. She mustered the strength to take a glance at the black-haired teen, to check if she had been reduced to such a fumbling mess as she had. Alas, Akane took deep breaths but not enough to conclude she had been exhausted, albeit there were a few bruised spots gaining colour on her pale skin, which made a new feeling erupt in Jane.

Shame.

Pure, unadulterated shame.

Out of all the different scenarios she had imagined, the absolute worst happened. She inflicted pain on her _youngest_ crew member because she couldn't control her temper. And she strived to be the paragon of humanity? With such inexcusable behaviour?

An apology was needed and one most definitely left her lips as soon as she realized her mistake, "I am so sorry, Akane. For taking out my anger on you."

"Fear not, Ma'am, you haven't offended me in any way." The impassive features on her face were chilling. "There is no shame in feeling anger, for everyone experiences it at one point or another - I am no exception - I am glad to have helped you dispose of it so it won't interfere with our mission."

 _Our mission_. These words felt like a bucket of cold water splashed on her fiery skin and she nearly let the frown slip through her expression. Yes, she felt that deep. And here she had hoped that Akane had done it out of a sense of camaraderie, but she had no right to feel disappointed when she was asking for forgiveness. She just...

* * *

Something felt odd.

Akane noticed a subtle change in the Commander's demeanour, though uncharacteristically late. Her bright presence dimmed as if something weighed on her mind for her to normally express her nature. A stray thought wondered if it was because of something she had said to her, which could serve as a possibility because the change showed only after their interaction.

Thinking back, there was a flicker of... expectation? Residing within the green of her orbs. Expectation for what? Akane could only guess but no amount of contemplating would bring her closer to the answer, so she dropped the matter altogether.

_Why don't you just talk to her?_

She stopped in her tracks, letting the shotgun fall to her side. That... sounded like a decent thing to do. Why hadn't she thought about it sooner?

_Because you tend to overthink things?_

Right. Obviously. By the way, when did so much doubt began to settle in her mind? Probably because now, with the Reaper's mysterious absence, she had the luxury of time to do so. Speaking of which, what happened to them anyway? To this galaxy, they were but a myth. What could have possibly happened to such a powerful foe to simply vanish without a trace?

She doubted they were defeated, and even more so did she think that the deed was done by her kin, for none had seemed to have survived into this time. Often did her thoughts wander into the past, wondering what might have happened to all the people in the SSA while she laid dormant. Regardless of the actions she had to commit under the leadership of Ijima, she held no real resentment towards him. She knew what she was getting into when she had joined the ranks of shinobi.

_Shinobi are people who endure to achieve their goals, but depending on what they choose as their goal, they change._

And in the end, she failed spectacularly. She couldn't save her family. She couldn't save anyone at all.

Funny thing was, that a small part of her still hoped that time would prove her assumption wrong. That somewhere out there, in that vast galaxy the humans called the Milky Way, was still a chakra wielder such one as herself. But the chances were slim and hope slowly faded the longer she walked this new reality.

_You're getting sidetracked._

Right. The Commander. " _I think, her most likely whereabouts would be her private cabin._ "

So that was how she ended up in the mess, short on ideas on how to enter politely without accidentally violating her personal space. It wasn't like she could just walk in like the last time, without somehow notifying her. Back in the day knocking was enough. _Back in the day doors weren't made of metal!_ Maybe she should give calling out a try.

"Commander? Ma'am? May I steal a moment of your time?!" She was mindful to keep her audacity controlled.

"The Commander's in the med bay." She heard a male voice echoing around the corner. She flushed under her collar from slight embarrassment that morphed into worry.

"Might I inquire what has gotten her into such state?" There was genuine concern in her voice.

"A group of biotics gave her a rough time. Heard from Ashley that she was knocked down so many times that she made friends with the floor." Sir Alenko said with a chuckle. One corner of Akane's lips lifted at Chief Williams' sarcastic interpretation. That definitely sounded like something she would say.

"And the extent of her injuries?"

"Nothing lethal. Mostly bruised." He looked up for a second from his control panel.

"Good. Do you know if visits are permitted?"

"I am sure the Commander wouldn't mind."

"I will take my leave then. Thank you for your help, Sir Alenko."

She gave him a slight bow before heading towards the med bay. She was in no time requesting permission for entrance via omni-tool, which she was granted. Internally chiding her stupidity for not thinking of it sooner, but she blamed her lack of expertise with the device. There was still much to be learnt. She would have to plead Tali to teach her next time she saw her.

Upon entering the medical room, the kunoichi was confused as to why she only saw the doc present. Ever the perceptive woman, the grey-head seemed to notice this, "The Commander is in the storage room with Dr T'Soni. That is if there was another reason for your visit?" She arched a perfectly trimmed brow on the young Uchiha, expecting an answer.

"No. I was concerned about the Commander. How is she faring, Ma'am?" She watched the older woman staring at her curiously. She did that a lot, so it was obvious that she found something worth inspecting in Akane.

She sensed it in the others as well, even though they covered it behind blatant disregard. The kunoichi couldn't hold that against them for the feats she was capable of performing bordered on the impossible. At least from the perspective of non-chakra wielders.

"She is restless, she always has been."

"Then I take it her injuries are healing well?"

The doc nodded, "She will be up in no time if she doesn't decide to be stubborn."

Akane gifted her a pleased smile, much to the wonderment of Dr Chakwas, for she hadn't seen the teen to express this much of emotion. It did Karin well to know that her stay on the Normandy was reflecting positively in her behaviour, which wasn't necessarily bad in the first place. The doc had worked with lots of people during her carrier that remained wholly professional at work, but not this emotionally distant as Akane took it. To see it on one such young as the Uchiha was saddening for an older woman like Chakwas.

"I will be off to see the Commander. I hope you don't mind, Ma'am?"

"Not at all, it was nice seeing you again," she said with a small smile fo her own.

The doc turned back to face her terminal, letting the Uchiha get past her to reach the door. It swished open once she was near enough and-

"Oh, Akane! I wasn't expecting you!" said the Commander off-handedly, both of them looking puzzled by the Uchiha's unexpected appearance.

Before the kunoichi could even dive into the topic that she wanted to discuss with the red-head, Liara interrupted her line of thought, "She is younger than I thought."

Well, she expected a more sophisticated observation by the asari. By now, she would have been slightly insulted, but currently, she was unsure how old she truthfully is. " _I might just be the oldest by a long shot among the crew."_

"Yes, I wouldn't let her age fool you. She is stronger than any other on the Normandy."

"I believe you may be exaggerating, Commander."

Shepard just shook her head, "I believe I don't."

"Even than Wrex?" she asked with no small amount of awe.

"That is still debatable. Okay, but, more importantly, you haven't met yet, so I will leave you two to it and let Dr Chakwas check up on my wounds. They began itching!" Shepard left quickly but seeing her good-natured enthusiasm back innerly relieved Akane of her worry. Though she wasn't prepared to write Shepard off so easily, for now, she would let her walk away.

"I assume apologies are in order, Miss T'Soni," Akane said, concentrating her attention at the blueish asari.

"I fear I don't understand where this is coming from."

"My apologies for not approaching you sooner, Miss. I wanted to avoid being too forward or forcing myself onto you." She bowed deeply to emphasize, but sought to reassure.

"Oh! There is no need to- you don't have to bow. Uh... Is it a human thing? I am making a fool of myself again, am I not?" Liara fidgeted, searching for the right words. But that backfired pretty quickly. She wasn't lying about her lack of interaction with people. Humans particularly. _You're not even human._

"Miss, I would like to object. You're lack in one area promises you're proficiency in another. But if it gives you some peace of mind, it can be easily rectified by further conversations with humans."

This seemed to have been enough to calm her down when she smiled at the compliment, "That was kind of you to say, but I am precarious about the last part."

"I understand, people can become strenuous to deal with." Akane knew how addicting solitude could be. She herself had sought nothing else during her time as a double agent.

"But don't mistake my lack of desire for conversations due to the lack of good company! The crew has been wonderful to me, and I am amazed by Dr Chakwas' knowledge about asari physiology," she explained nervously.

"If I make you uncomfortable, I can stop."

"Please, don't... I just need..." she struggled to express her appreciation by not embarrassing herself any further. One time was enough for today.

"...time." Akane spared her the effort to which she sighed. Liara almost couldn't believe she was older than the young human before her, with her social skills.

"Yes."

"If time is what you need, then it is time you will be given," she replied resolutely, heeding the asari's wishes as she took her leave, not giving Liara the chance to thank her for saving her life from the krogan on Therum.

* * *

Location: Voyage Cluster - Yangtze System - Binthu - M35 Mako

Shepard POV

Admiral Kahoku was in grave danger. His audio message was a clear indicator of that as it resonated through the secure channel. She hurried through the wenge brown surface of the planet, to the coordinates Kahoku had sent them. She wondered how he had gotten his hands on the information this early on in his investigation. She had visited him what? A couple of days ago?

Unimportant. She didn't doubt that the Admiral knew how to take care of himself, but he sounded desperate. Who wouldn't with Cerberus? Former Alliance black ops organization. Top-secret, access to highest-level security clearance. Nobody knew the reason for their disappearance and neither where they went to.

Jane was just a soldier, so usually, she shouldn't be bothered by such news because they had no real impact on her mission. But she had to know about the happenings around her. It was something she had learnt early on in the streets of the megapolis. Of course, she wouldn't even know about it weren't it for Admiral Hackett, who shared such top-secret information regarding his concerns about Akane Uchiha's loyalty.

That was why she took her _specifically_ on this mission.

The loose end of her crew, she wanted to wrap up for she no longer possessed the time nor patience to deal with it. A rogue Spectre was on the run, and for the good of the galaxy, she was tasked to hunt him down. Half a month had passed ever since her election into the Spectres and she needed to have a crew she could count on for her mission to be successful.

"By the Goddess, what are those creatures?" She heard Liara comment as they watched Cerberus' 'guinea pigs' trapped inside a blue force field. To her surprise, it wasn't Tali who fiddled with the diagnostic station but Akane, thus the field was taken down and the threat eliminated with combined gunshots.

"Tali, look if you can find any intel on Cerberus and Liara, you go analyse this... green-glowing... cockroaches?" Jane ordered, she could have phrased it better when she heard amused chuckles.

Akane stood still beside her in the light armour she had given her, awaiting orders. Throughout their assault, she hadn't conducted any suspicious activity, even when in hindsight, she had plenty of opportunities to turn on her. She had sensed no hesitation in the teen when she mercilessly finished those Cerberus operatives. But for all she knew it could all be just part of an act, remembering how proficient Akane was at masking her intentions.

"Impossible!"

"What have you found out?" Jane heard Liara exclaim in disbelief.

"These experiments... they were rachni."

"Rachni?! Didn't they go extinct over 2000 years ago?" The red-head recalled, wondering how on earth did Cerberus get their hands on living specimens of a presumed dead race. There was undoubtedly something big behind it.

Tali seemed to have found the answer to her unsaid question, "From what I've managed to gather, the samples were sent by Binary Helix."

Silence reigned over them as they digested the information.

"Let's move on."

Secret alliances and rachni, and they were still only done with the first base. Who knew what atrocities they would encounter in the other two?

* * *

She knew that armour would make her feel out of her element.

Although the Commander captured her size perfectly, no doubt via the analytical capabilities omni-tool, she felt somehow disconnected. Cut off from the world, her surroundings. Shinobi, in general, relied on sensory input. So having this combat hard-suit clad on her skin, although offering decent protection, felt restrictive.

But, hey! Better than breathing carbon dioxide with a permanent haze of toxic chlorine!

Oh! And let's not forget the periodical torrents of acid!

 _Nope!_ She wouldn't take her chances without the armour. Either way, back to the mission. They were to investigate these facilities owned by an organization named Cerberus. That didn't ring a bell in her, and she would leave it at that weren't it for the Commander keeping a close eye on her that left her suspicious. Akane played it off cool, although not knowing Shepard's intent.

They had reached the second lab, the layout of things was mostly the same so she expected that they stick to the same strategy when a clever idea came her into mind. And before she would overthink the plan, she proposed it to Shepard, who albeit hesitantly, agreed to it.

Why not give Cerberus a taste of their own medicine?

So the others stayed behind while Akane snuck in and disabled the force field. She fell back as promptly as she came, letting the caged insects on a rampage. After the operatives had taken down the last grown rachni, the party went in to give them the rest. No words were spoken as they worked swiftly on extracting any data they could find.

Then they were back in the Mako, making their way off to the third lab. The absence of any other lifeforms due to the harsh environment gave them enough freedom to manoeuvre the hills and reach the base, where two turrets defended the area. She had to compliment Shepard on her cunning in dealing with them because she used the nearby structures as cover.

Taking a quick look inside with her ocular powers, she reviewed what lied ahead of them. There were more commandos present in this facility than any other, and their experiments weren't the rachni but kara? No, these weren't kara although the corpse-like humanoid specimen held great similarities. They had a sickly green texture to their skin and long claws with noticeable eyes.

_Creepy._

And among them was... Admiral Kahoku. No life signs. Shepard wasn't going to like this.

* * *

The assault was a mess, it had been since her plan failed to bring the same results as last time. The 'Kara 2.0' didn't attack upon disabling the force field. In fact, they didn't react at all, which only alerted everyone of Akane's position - and not even her Shunshin no Jutsu was able to evade the onslaught of bullets flying her away.

"Move!" Akane had heard Shepard say as she quickly came to her rescue.

The focus was shifted for a split of a second from the shinobi and she used it to find cover. Her kinetic shields were almost depleted so going back in for support was not a wise decision. She pressed herself tightly against one of the pillars, pistol clamped in both hands as she watched the experiments finally rise up to attack. The absence of the force field robbed them of a good portion of cover, but the 'Kara 2.0' lured them out of their spot. They raced indiscriminately at everyone who moved, so Akane shared it through their comm.

"These things react to movement so I advise to remain still."

It was as she said, they hid behind cover in stillness while panic broke through among their enemies who had a hard time getting rid of their experiments because of their extreme resistance towards gunfire. They didn't show signs of slowing down even after being pierced by a lot of slugs, going in for the melee as their only means of attack. The non-biotics were quickly out of the game when the last specimen slumped on the ground.

The commandos found themselves outnumbered and Akane saw the desperation on their faces. They completely ignored everyone else's position and went straight after Shepard. The party was spread out because of scarce cover and the red-head was about to be flanked by two biotics without having her kinetic shields recharged. Tali and Liara didn't see the Commander's situation because they were occupied with a sniper and the Commander seemed... distracted.

She would die. The only person who made her transition to this world possible. Who had been nothing but considerate when Akane refused to tell her more about herself.

_Will you let her die?_

Actions spoke louder than words. And almost as if her body had a mind on its own did it move, motivated by nothing else than the desire to protect what she had come to value, even though her mind would vehemently refuse that claim; her heart did not.

She yanked Shepard out of the way just in time to be greeted by the abilities of the two biotics, fired out simultaneously. Then came nothing but blackness accompanied by excruciating pain.

* * *

Location: Voyage Cluster - Columbia System - Nepheron

Shepard POV

They had proof that Cerberus had been conducting illegal genetic research in an effort to create an unstoppable army. Kahoku was found dead in the third facility on Binthu, much as she feared, and now they were the only ones to stop them. This _had to_ be stopped.

She would lie if a small part of her didn't do it out of vengeance, for Kahoku, for Akane. But that wasn't who she was, that wasn't who she aspired to become. She only hoped she would keep her guilt that weighed heavily on her conscience at bay.

* * *

Location: SSV Normandy SR-1 - Second Deck - Med-bay

Tali POV

She was asked by Shepard to look after the injured human, not that it was necessary, she was her friend after all. And friends look after each other. She didn't mind having to spend her time at her side in Chakwas' absence, who went to grab something to eat.

Still, she felt responsible for what happened to Akane.

She heaved a defeated sigh, "This is all my fault."

"It's not," Tali jumped as the Commander walked into the med-bay, "She did save _my_ ass after all."

Tali cast her gaze back on the laying figure, watching the faint rise of her chest. Still, not even the Commander's reassurance did sway the guilt gnawing at her mind. It was wrong to shove the blame all unto herself or Shepard or Liara on that matter. They shared the blame because they _all_ were there and yet nobody of them noticed. They should have been more focused.

Occupying a seat to the opposite of Tali she heard the red-head confess ruefully, "I suspected her being part of Cerberus."

Surprise mingled with anger rose in the quarian at the Commander's exclamation, but before anything could leave her filter, she reflected on her friendship with the young human.

Truthfully, it had crossed her mind once or twice by now, but whenever she asked the Uchiha anything related to her past she changed the subject. Her repugnance towards it was painfully apparent, so she extended the courtesy to the young woman and chose not to prod where she didn't want it.

Still, she found it hard to believe that she would work as a hitman for Cerberus. While she understood where Shepard's apprehensions stemmed from, their birthplace being Akane's nonexistent history along with her disinclination to speak of it. More than once had Tali been asked about her by Shepard during her routine visits.

She saw nothing of that in Akane.

She freely admitted that her behaviour, although respectful and polite, might have been off-putting at first. But after some time and unexpected encounters, she had found her initial image of her to be misjudged. She was sure that, under that emotionless facade she showed the world laid a gentle soul with a brilliant mind, but she only revealed bits of it in Tali's presence and she truly felt honoured that out of all people, she would share it with her.

Because she allowed Tali to see her _vulnerable_ , no matter how slightly, where others would find the cold exterior of her indomitable walls. It showed in the way the tone of her voice sounded gentler, kinder whenever she spoke to the quarian. Sometimes even a small smile graced her blank expression.

Akane made her feel unlike any other before since she left the Rayya for her Pilgrimage. Accepted as an individual, not just as another quarian to be disregarded or looked down upon. Akane saw her as an equal from the very start, and this alone had become the pillar of their building friendship.

"What made you think otherwise?"

"The diplomat in me would say it was from the lack of evidence, but we both know I am not _that_ into politics."

There was a short-lived quirk of lips on her face that turned down as soon as it had arisen, "She rushed in to save me without any regard for her own safety. I can't imagine any Cerberus agent, no matter how dedicated, to put their lives on the line for someone they had practically just met."

Despite her conflicting emotions, Tali found herself quickly agreeing on this with Shepard, "It does sound unrealistic."

The unsaid statement hung in the air, but both of them knew if it wasn't for Akane's intervention, Commander Shepard wouldn't have been among the living anymore.

In the end, Cerberus activity in the Voyage Cluster had been pushed back, hopefully on a temporal basis. It should feel like a step in the right direction but it didn't, with Kahoku dead and Akane knocking on heaven's doors. There was only regret accompanied by an unsatisfying victory.

Personal feelings aside, now that they had some insight into Cerberus dealings, they tracked some their experiments to Noveria as well as Feros. So it was up to Shepard to decide where they would be headed next.


	27. The Two Ancients

„ _Thinking_ "

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: Attican Beta Cluster - Theseus System - Feros - SSV Normandy SR-1

She awoke within two days, just in time for another mission, after some convincing. Shepard wasn't pleased by her choice, funny thing was that Akane shared her displeasure. Rather wanting a day off to rest her strained joints but alas, she wouldn't want to pass up the opportunity of visiting an old prothean megatropolis.

She was eager to unlock the foreign section of her memory that had been locked away for her safety. And that required for her to be present on the following mission. Joker didn't notice her, as watched silently over his shoulder at the magnificent view of the infrastructure above the clouds.

It was harder than she thought to turn her back at the scenery.

* * *

Location: Attican Beta Cluster - Theseus System - Feros - Zhu's Hope

To be greeted by some geth became a common occurrence, but...

There was something in the air that troubled her and it wasn't prothean.

The single-mindedness of the colonists on their respective tasks might not seem unnatural at first, but it was a certain response that repeatedly cropped up during their conversations, whenever they had inquired more about the planet or colony, that proved her earlier statement: Ask Fai Dan.

It was almost as if they didn't want to speak out of place, as if they were pressured to avoid speaking about certain subjects. By the pained expression from a woman who at least tried to give them an answer, they were influenced by _something._

Not being of chakra-based nature, Akane couldn't put her finger on it through usual means, so she left it at that. The ExoGeni Corporation's headquarters was where Akane was convinced they would find answers, but Shepard had slightly other plans, so they made a detour to restore the colony's supplies. Couldn't have them starving while they went off investigating, right?

At least the rest of the party had their moral compass pointing in the right direction. Same couldn't be said for the shinobi though, who didn't think twice about the alarming situation of Zhu's Hope.

_Because these weren't your people, right?_

She pressed her lips together into a thin line, trying to swallow down the sudden tightness in her chest.

Her brain tried to fight the self-addressed accusation but it was a lost battle... because she knew it was the truth.

* * *

Shepard POV

Water supply: Check

Food supply: Check

Energy supply: Check

Things were looking better than they had when they first arrived. Zhu's Hope was somewhat self-sufficient, at least for the period Shepard went to investigate ExoGeni's Headquarters. As much as she didn't like that every corner was swarmed with geth, she dreaded the point when they would encounter those ghastly looking creatures from Binthu.

And from what Ian Newstead had shared with her party, she was justified in her worry. Something was waiting for them and in the face of uncertainty, there was nothing else Shepard could do than stay alerted.

Regardless of her foreboding, they pushed forward. Through the geth armatures and to a secluded place that they used as a recovery point.

"I forgot to mention it, but there is a weak comm signal nearby. Maybe we should check it out." She heard Kaidan say from behind her seat. Seeing no harm in complying, they exited the Mako and followed the signal.

After meeting Ethan Jeong, she almost regretted it. She gritted her pearly white teeth at his selfish behaviour. His lack of care for anything other than his dear company provoked her nerves and it was difficult for her to contain the strong urge to lash out on him. But that would complicate matters unnecessarily. Thus, it was in her best interest to remove herself from him before things escalated.

"What an asshole!" She heard Ashley grumble once they were enclosed within the protective walls of the Mako. She knew it was improper of her to support such rude claims, but she knew her team wouldn't mind. Now that they'd gotten closer, she didn't seem to need to act all in control anymore.

"To put it mildly." Ashley let out a hearty laugh, pleased at her response.

The next hours that followed were filled with much-needed focus and steady progress. A trail of synthetic corpses left in their wake, a testament of their advance towards answers they sought after. And answers they were given once they found Baynham's daughter, Lizbeth, who only cemented what Shepard had feared long ago.

Granted, she couldn't even possibly fathom that they would encounter something as absurd as this. A 50 thousand years old sentient plant capable of mind-controlling and telepathic abilities. And ExoGeni fucking researched it! Like hello? Didn't they see the warnings signs?

And why did Akane didn't look surprised at all? Even more so, there was a small glint of curiosity in her pale pools, almost as if she knew all along? Nah, it was futile to attempt to read her. She never could distinguish what was going on in her head.

Shepard was lenient with the man when she first met him but enough was enough. He crossed the limits of Jane's kindness when he stated that Zhu's Hope needs to be purged. Fucking ExoGeni and their underhanded methods. She wasn't going to let these colonists down just because of some greedy bastard and his profit-hungry company. She knocked him out the second he ranted about her unneeded presence here. Serves him right!

The guards reached for their weapons but her team was quicker, "I dare you, assholes!" she heard Ashley bark at them. Her tone laced with restraint aggressiveness. There was no denying how pissed she was and the guards did well to hold their hand above their heads in a surrendering gesture.

"So, what should we do about the colonists? You mentioned they were infected?" Jane turned towards the Baynhams.

"There's got to be another way than killing them." Lizbeth paused thoughtfully, "Like a gas grenade!"

"That doesn't sound like a good idea, Commander. Won't we be caught in its steams too?" Kaidan interjected.

The Spectre crossed her arms on her chest, thinking through all the options. Some part of her busied mind expectantly waited for Akane's input, since she noticed that she was always more invested in tactical matters. But the teen stayed awfully quiet during the whole mission, not uttering a single sound. Almost as if her mind was occupied by something else.

Back to the issue at hand, she decided, "I don't see another way. It's a risk we must take."

"If we're going through with this, then at least drop it in a concussion grenade." The male Sentinel suggested, despite his slight discontent.

"Sounds good. We'll do what we can."

"Excellent, thank you for your help, Commander Shepard." Juliana went for the grenades. This was going to be a challenge. And she hoped that her aim was good enough for her to manage to incapacitate all of them, otherwise, this could turn into a blood bath fairly quickly.

* * *

They were closing in. The only things separating them from the colony was a huge gateway, guarded by one of the Kara 2.0. Or should she refer to them as one of the Thorian's minions? Because much to the party's disgust, it was but a foretaste of what awaited them behind the gateway.

"What is that thing? No way this is human, infected or not." Chief Williams exclaimed distastefully.

"You don't seem too surprised by this outcome, Commander," Kaidan stated and both of eyed Shepard as she frowned upon the corpse.

"I have encountered some on our last mission. Just remember, refrain from harming the civilians at all cost."

All voiced their assent. If Shepard wanted them alive, Akane would try her best to abide her wish.

* * *

Shepard POV

They managed to push through up to the Borealis, but Jane found herself in a dreadful situation when she acknowledged the number of grenades left.

There was not enough left for everyone.

"Shit."

She closed her eyes. Something no soldier should do during a battle and build up her resolve for what needed to be done. God, she hated this feeling, this feeling that she had failed them.

So she fought, taking down one thorian creeper after the other. Not noticing Akane's fixed gaze upon her. She didn't know how, but she managed to save all in the end.

Or so she thought.

Just as the entrance to a tunnel under the Borealis swished open, Fai Dan came into view.

"I tried to fight it, but it gets in your head. You can't imagine the pain." His movements were visibly strained as he approached Shepard's party in short strides.

"I was supposed to be a leader. These people trusted me." Akane watched his face contort in pain, which brought an unpleasant memory up, but she forcefully gulped it down.

"Fai Dan, don't do this. You're stronger than the Thorian." Shepard encouraged although having pointed her gun at him.

"It wants me to stop you... but I... I won't." He drew his gun in one hand, supporting it with the other. The others waited with bated breath what the man would do but for Akane, it was as if time had slowed down.

_Looks familiar. Doesn't it?_

Yes, it did. It just like that one time... The pain this particular memory awoke was enough for her heart to clench painfully and her breathing to become heavier. Looking over at Shepard's expression was what broke her inaction, especially when Fai Dan levelled the gun at his head.

Never again will she bear witness to such an act again!

"Hey!" she shouted enough to catch the attention of the pained man. She channelled her chakra through her eyes and muttered, "Genjutsu: Sharingan!"

And within seconds the man was laying on the ground, unconscious.

* * *

Shepard POV

She knew she hadn't been imagining things back on Asteroid X57! This red glint she caught for a second time with her sharp eyes. She frantically turned her head towards Ashley and Kaidan, who she knew had noticed it also. Their reaction was just as she expected; they were gobsmacked about what had just transpired.

Now, Jane possessed certainty that this crazy stunt was part of Akane's arsenal and not just a figment of her imagination. But before she could utter but a single question that rose in her intrigued mind, the young woman turned sharply into the direction of the tunnel and without a word, went down.

Her intent was evident as she reminisced about the Thorian that awaited them under Zhu's Hope. Akane was right; they had more pressing issues at hand. Questions could be resumed later.

She sighed, "Let's move!"

* * *

Now that she slowly got the hang out of her heightened senses, she could tell this place was old.

The walls reeked of the Thorian's presence, who had inhabited this region for numbers of years, some of them were covered by its brownish-purplish mesh. She jogged a bit further, navigating her way towards it.

Light shined through the open ceiling as she watched the kidney-shaped creature hanging at its centre. Its movement accompanied by squishing sounds that made the shinobi slightly uncomfortable. She wondered why she hadn't simply looked _under_ herself and not just around!

_You can be pretty dense too, sometimes._

There was no point in arguing against that statement. Something like this wouldn't have slipped her notice when she had been still alone.

_But you're not alone anymore. The world is changing and you're changing with it._

She was. It was a slow process. As if her throat had been cut and she was bleeding to death but surprisingly she didn't feel pain. Quite the opposite and that was what frightened her the most. She didn't know where she was going. Didn't know what to expect. To comprehend what was going to happen. And it unsettled her, this uncertainty.

Shepard and her crew were the main benefactors to this change of which she couldn't yet evaluate the effects. Though if she guessed, it was more of the positive kind. She regained if only a sliver of happiness; something she hadn't thought possible ever since Shirone died.

Yet Shepard was known to achieve the impossible, no?

Her internal monologue was cut short as the Thorian reacted to her presence, though unwelcome, not fully perceived as a threat. A green-skinned asari popped out of the plant's ingestive system, acting as some sort of puppet for the Thorian.

"Invader! Your every step is a transgression. You have come to join your kind to join as meat at last." The asari said, its voice limited to a monotonous spectrum of tones.

"My kind?" Akane was perplexed by the creature's choice of words.

"The Protheans. The Old Growth watched them, studied them. When they died, they became part of it. As will you."

They both heard the heavy stomping echoing in the hallways as Shepard's party closed in on them. Neither said anything when the red-head approached, "I speak for the Old Growth, as I did for Saren. You are within and before the Thorian: It commands that you be in awe!"

Jane's 'Commander mask' was flawless when she showed nothing of what the plant wanted. "You gave something to Saren. Something I need."

The asari clone gave a brisk speech on how Saren deceived the Thorian and lastly betrayed, openly displayed its unwillingness to cooperate. Having had enough of it since the ex Spectre's deceit.

The paragon Akane knew Jane to be, barked back with unrivalled ferocity, "I won't let you keep your thralls. Release them. Now!"

There were moments from jumping at each other's throats, if the Thorian even had one, so as per usual, Akane sought out the creature's weak points. Killing its body wasn't going to prove challenging, since it was an unmoving target, however, its minions were a cause of great distress as there were hundreds of them scattered along the different floors.

Still, the most dangerous component of the plant's arsenal were the asari clones which it repeatedly produced because of their biotics capabilities. If one of them got hit by Stasis, things would turn south in no time.

"They're coming from behind us!" Ashley shouted, covering their back. The situation looked grim, being surrounded by tons of acid-spitting juggernauts.

"We can't go on like this! Any ideas?"

Jane looked pleadingly at the young Uchiha at whom she hadn't looked like that for the first time during this mission. She gave her permission to take the reins in this decision.

"I will make a diversion!"

Without letting Shepard even give her assent, she dashed into the crowd of thorian creeper's, blitzing through them quicker than they could explode. She managed to lure more than a half from Shepard but now she was the one in a pinch. Her mind subconsciously searched for other ways to dispose of the Thorian that didn't involve setting this place on fire.

As if on cue, Kaidan lent her a hand by yelling from a floor above, "Shoot those appendages attached to the walls, it should be enough to kill it!"

With a simple nod of thanks, she moved out and tried her best to get closer to her new objective. The floor shuddered as another appendage was released from its holding point. She managed to evade most of the acid though the same couldn't be said about her clothing, which was full of holes by the time the Thorian fell into the abyss.

The complex, thankfully, withstood the final quake and with that, the Thorian was no more.

A pity. For the shinobi at least. She felt a strong connection with the plant, not of the emotional kind, but more of its mentioned prothean knowledge. Akane could have learnt so much if she just had the opportunity to 'connect' with it, but alas, the circumstances were unfortunate.

She was lost in thought as another presence made itself known not so long after their victory. For a moment she mistook it for another asari clone, and rightfully so because of their likeness, but the violet shade of skin colour halted her assumptions. The asari, going by the name of Shiala, engaged in a lengthy conversation with the Commander. Akane gulped down her own curiosity as Shiala spoke of the Thorian's correlations with Saren and most importantly, the Protheans.

Much to her inner satisfaction and relief, Shepard was very throughout with her questioning and it brought much-needed prove to some of Akane's earlier speculations into which she wouldn't dive into right now in fear of losing her train of thought. This was no time for inner musing, they were still out in a mission.

More importantly, she was soon to witness something she hadn't witnessed before. The Melding. Due to asari biology bearing a lot of likeness to human (and therefore herself's), she found deeper research of the species' anatomy unnecessary. Even though she had stumbled upon the therm in some paragraph.

She observed silently as Shiala recited some kind of chant, presumably to help focus the Commander's mind, then waited for a few second with a detained breath. Shiala's eyes popped open, not in their original colour, but somewhat resembling a black Byakugan. It was a peculiar sight, to say the least, a tad unsettling actually.

Now she knew experience-wise why people found her eyes as something difficult to look at.

The exchange of the Cipher was brief and the Commander looked a bit shaken up but didn't seem to have any physical issues. They trotted back with Shiala to the surface. Welcoming the sight of the recovered inhabitants of Zhu's Hope who openly showed their utmost gratitude. Usually, they were directed at the Commander, few actually noticed her and she was content for it to be this way. Until...

"Please wait! There is something I want to tell you!" Akane didn't bother to look at the owner of the voice, assuming it was directed at the Commander. That was until someone from the party nudged her into attention.

Feeling obligated to turn, she turned to see Fai Dan seeking her out, "Yes, Sir?"

His smile was of the genuine sort as he gifted it to her with unabashed ease, "Thank you for saving my life."

In spite of herself, a pleasant wave of satisfaction spread over her chest and unfolded in her stomach, which she had problems to hide behind her expressionless facade. The party patiently waited for her at the centre of the colony.

"It was nothing," she replied a bit late for her liking, then took a sharp turn back into the direction of her companions. _Companions, huh?_

"Can I at least know your name?" he inquired hopefully and Akane couldn't believe that she would separate herself from such a piece of important information so readily, "Akane Uchiha."

She saw Shepard and Kaidan regarding her with a pleased smile while Ashley showed her signature smirk as she closed the distance. Why were they looking at her like that? Did they actually take enjoyment out of her getting praised?

_Pff- Don't flatter yourself._

Yeah, she shouldn't probably look too much into it.

* * *

Everyone gathered at the comm room as per their customary routine. Though this time, Akane was healthy enough to stay for the whole session. She listened with interest at the debate which eclipsed when Shepard chose to unite her mind with Liara, judging from their conversation, for the second time.

The mission, although successful, was a big setback for Akane and her strive for unlocking her prothean memories. The Cipher would have proven useful (even crucial) but since it was Shepard who needed it more, she stepped back and let it happen. Shepard's mission took priority since it was now revealed to be in relation to the Reapers.

The moment the meeting was adjourned, she made a bee-line for her sleeping pot.

"Akane? Care to stay for a minute?"

Or she thought she would.

"Of course, Ma'am. Your desire?" Akane was for a second taken back by the disappointed sigh that had obviously something to do with her. What did she- oh!

"I told you to call me Shepard when we're alone." The red-head shook her head, fixing her hands on her hips. The green in her orbs held a strictness in them that forced Akane to express her contrition. Knowing not where she stood with the Commander.

"I will make sure to refrain from calling you this again." She bowed deeply to emphasize, seriously feeling like she had offended Shepard before the red-head erupted into a fit of laughter.

"I am just messing with you!" She rounded her arm around Akane's neck, to which Akane unintentional stiffened because of her battle instincts, and reached to out to ruffle the teen's mane when it happened...

A moment of relapse, the same she had experienced in the prothean ruins once she had touched the console. The present became the past and the past became the present at this very moment. Memories, sensations, everything was shared through touch.

"Is everything all right, Shepard?" The Uchiha inquired in a worried tone, her behaviour akin to fretting as she observed the Commander, the transfer knocked her for a loop. The Uchiha held her upright, fearing another union of the nervous system had proven too much for the weary mind of the red-head.

"What did you say?"

Blaming it on the side-effects of the exchange that Shepard didn't catch what she said, Akane slowly repeated, "I asked if you're feeling well?"

A stagnant pause established between them and Akane was confounded, unknowing of the cause. Shepard's eyes shifted to hers, holding the same amount of disarray as the shinobi's, "I can't understand you."

She sprung back in panic, putting as much distance between them as possible. She felt her mask crumbling, her emotions slipping out of control so she did the next best thing she could think of and... fled.


	28. Change Doesn't Come Easy

„ _Thinking_ "

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Shepard POV

Avoidance.

That was the best word to describe Akane's recent behaviour. She scarcely made an appearance and when she did, conversations were kept to a bare minimum. Moreso what had her concerned were the bags under her blank eyes.

She would have confronted her by now hadn't she been the one to fault for her resigned manner. It had gotten to the point where the rest of the crew also shared their concern for the assassin. Mainly Tali and Garrus (surprisingly even Wrex!), for Akane had intentionally not attended any of their usual training session or lessons, which was strange because they had a well-established routine by now that the teen diligently followed.

And all that because Jane took a step too far, misinterpreting Akane's more welcoming behaviour towards Tali as a shared privilege. Her intentions were innocent as she tried to mess with the assassin for a bit, which she had now come to regret. She felt guilty for overstepping the boundaries Akane was apparently not yet ready to cross and was more than once overcome by the desire to check in on her for the past week.

But her gut told her to give Akane time... and space.

" _She will come to me when she feels like it._ "

And for the time being, that was all she could hope from the teen.

* * *

She hadn't felt such inner turmoil since...

_"Since mother died."_

And it took only one moment of weakness; of lowering her guard.

A good night sleep suddenly became a luxury her haunted mind wouldn't give her. Things that were neglected during the war came rushing back in full. It was as if every emotion she hadn't allowed herself to feel since their mother died caught up with her now.

Control; that was what she had been exercising since joining the ranks of shinobi. That's why she was so favoured by both Ijima and Tani. For her ability to quell her emotions to the brink of non-existence as by the rules of old. However, she didn't do it to abide by the rules but because the state of the world demanded it.

Everything became unnecessary in face of extinction.

And for three years, it was her wrath and her fierce drive to protect what was left of her family that stimulated her single-minded strive for power. She had driven herself to her utmost limits in order to gather enough of it, often neglecting those very same people she sought to protect. So much that she almost didn't notice the change that overtook their father.

Would his fate have been different if she had paid him more attention? Showed more support and offered closure like with Shirone? Another question never able to be answered.

She hadn't realized until later that her goal let her cross paths with someone that would ameliorate her spiteful life.

Haruko Uchiha, the man that held her heart, to this very day.

He taught her things she had long forgotten but most importantly, showed her the error of her ways. Steadily were the vengeful thoughts for the Reapers replaced by his genuine love for her, like a tumour that feasted on her existence and she was forever grateful for its absence. Their love was one slow to realize but quick to burn as they were drawn to each other from the very first time their onyx orbs had met, though had been left unexplored under their own circumstances.

She couldn't fathom how lucky she had been to experience love of such purity. Reserving such as something only found in fairytales.

_In the end, he met his doom by your hand. Your selfishness knows no bounds, doesn't it?_

She resisted the tears that threatened to fall. She couldn't feel anything after she had pierced his heart with her sword. It was as if the sword had gone right through her in the exact moment. That was why she had been watching until the end, saw how life fled her lover's eyes.

And she would rather not reminisce what followed after that. Merciless slaughter. Corpses ranging from young to old, littering the ground. No one from the Abenjazu was spared, no one could be left alive for the risk of indoctrination ran too high. And she stood there, like the madwoman she was, features covered by her Anbu mask, clothes drenched in the blood of her people.

She would never get their agonised cries, the sound of frightened children out of her head.

_But it had to be done. Or is it not better when the world doesn't need to suffer, even when it is at your expense? Remember for who you did it for; remember Shirone._

But by Kami did it hurt. It was pain that preceded any physical injury she had ever received. At some point during those two years she spent as a missing-nin, famished and dirty, she became so numb from the pain that her only reason for holding on was so that she could continue to watch over Shirone. From the darkness afar.

It was on that fateful day that her sorry state had gotten the better of her and she slept longer from exhaustion.

_If you hadn't overslept then Shirone could have been saved. Your carelessness is what resulted in her death. HER BLOOD IS ON YOUR HANDS!_

Her fingers tore at her long hair, hoping the pain she inflicted on herself would overpower the guilt residing in her chest. It got to a point where she was visibly twitching under her sheets and some crew member, whose name she couldn't single out, spoke up to her, "Hey, is everything all right?"

Akane looked like a frightened deer as she bolted up, her face contorted into a mess of emotions as the Sharingan manifested in her eyes. Ignorant of any possible witnesses, she removed the past few seconds from his memory and buried herself back into her covers.

She couldn't go on like this, the crew was growing suspicious and she still needed to sort things out with Shepard.

She needed to pull herself together... and quickly.

* * *

Liara POV

Goddess, she felt awful, although the routine talks with the Commander did help a bit. The pain still lingered and the dreams were still plagued by the gruesome images of her mother's affected nature. She knew not to listen to the cruel words Benezia had sent her way at Peak 15, knowing them not to be from her true self, but of the Sovereign's making.

Instead, she tried to keep her not affected self in remembrance. The loving mother that would watch her dig in other's gardens for prothean artefacts. A small crossed her lips as she stood in the kitchen, trying to conjure up something to better her solemn mood.

_All children rebel against their parents. It's a natural part of growing up._

Liara couldn't help but chuckle to herself at what Shepard had said during one of her routine visits. She shared the wisdom of a Matriarch and the asari found herself the more fascinated by the red-head. She was glad to have found a trustworthy confidant in the human, after her confusing exchanges with Ashley she was quite unsure of their species. Even the rest of the crew was considerate of her sudden loss, some even offered her condolences or showed their support which was helpful.

Lost in thoughts, she almost didn't notice Akane's smaller person standing a few meters away from her, pouring herself a cup of water.

Although the researcher knew staring to be inappropriate, she couldn't stop herself from peeking over to the young human, albeit discreetly as possible. Her eyes followed her up and down, noting how she looked without her black coat on. She looked a bit thin, and there were large bags prominent under her onyx eyes- wait! Onyx?

Liara brows furrowed in confusion, positively convinced that this wasn't Akane's usual eye colour. While it might have deeply intrigued her experimental side, she berated herself against speaking it out loud. Stopping herself of unintentionally embarrassing herself as she had done with the Commander with her 'interesting specimen for an in-depth study' sentence.

Akane looked over to her, aware of the asari's staring and Liara instinctively tensed. Caught in her act, but also because it felt as if she stared into orbs of nothingness. Just as space was a place of unmeasurable expanse, her pupil couldn't be distinguished from her iris. She never gazed at eyes that were darker.

"I am sorry about your mother." Liara was brought back on track, taking a moment to digest what the young human had said.

But before she could form any kind of response Akane added, "If it offers you any kind of comfort... I understand how you feel," and left for the sleeping pods. Once again, not giving the asari a chance to say something back.

* * *

Shepard POV

The next week was around the corner and Jane was still waiting for Akane to approach her, although she had been on a few missions around the system. Eliminating what was left of the Thorian and the Geth in this system, then set the course for the Citadel for some unfinished business but also because she wanted to pay Anderson a visit.

_Don't forget the meeting with the Admiral._

Damn her wicked mind for bringing that up, along with a fierce blush everyone else was too occupied to notice. Then, she saw a glimpse of someone who looked close to Akane round the corner, she forced herself not to go after her. Ask her if she was all right or if she needed anything.

She stopped, " _Why does it hurt to see her like this?_ "

She was one of the first, if not the first to acknowledge the girl's power and treated her as any other crew member, with respect. Intent on being a Captain of Anderson's worth since he left her quite the big shoes to fill. Her purpose for Akane at that time wasn't anything else than her seeing a chance to recruit a powerful ally, but now that had developed into something else.

Something she couldn't really place...

* * *

They were going to visit the Citadel again, though for what purpose Akane didn't know, not that she had any plans or so. No, though she saw it as the perfect opportunity to pull herself together from this... emotional disturbance.

_Even now, you're still denying yourself to feel?_

" _Rule 25. A Shinobi must never show emotion._ " Akane repeated in her mind.

_You hopelessly cling to rules that no longer exist in hopes of stabilizing your broken self._

" _Rule 22. A Shinobi must never show attachment._ " The shinobi recited in defence, trying to shoo away the voice of in her mind.

_You say you are prepared to step out into the light, but do you truly mean those words?_

" _Yes._ "

_Then why are you so desperately clinging to the darkness within you? What holds you back from achieving happiness?_

" _..._ "

_Answer me!_

" _Many things._ "

And with that, the inner conflict was concluded. Though Akane was certain that it would make its appearance in the near future with the abundance of free time ahead. She heaved a long sigh, knowing that she also had to speak to Shepard soon.

"Akane?"

Not this soon.

She almost sprang out of the bed she was sitting on, lost in thoughts. She recognized the voice and froze, hoping it was just a trick of her saturated mind that impersonated Shepard's voice. Her silly attempt failed the moment she heard the nearing footsteps. The Uchiha didn't dare to look up, her face was without a question, dreadful to look at. So she fixed her gaze on her shadow, making no move to acknowledge the Commader's presence.

It was to come at any moment. There was no possible scenario that Shepard would excuse her rude gesture, not to mention dismiss her recent behaviour. And it wasn't just this, there was more to it that the shinobi liked to admit. The exchange wasn't only one-sided and she was left in the dark on how much Shepard had managed to see until Akane broke the connection.

Regardless of her reasons, she was convinced that this was the end. She was sure she had exercised Shepard's patience long enough and wouldn't be surprised if the Commander decided to throw her out. Akane gave her enough reason to.

However only silence reigned between them, then the next thing she knew, there was a slight pressure on the mattress. She could feel Shepard's presence next to her as she simply sat down.

It was one sentence that was spoken with such softness that Akane almost teared up, "Are you all right?"

No. "Yes, thank you for asking, Ma'am." She couldn't believe her treacherous mouth.

"That is an obvious lie and we both know it." Shepard's hand moved up between her shoulder plates in a soothing manner. When had it been the last time she was touched with such care? Her tense muscles loosened up a bit, but not much.

"Akane," the red-head beckoned her to look up, and she did, "talk to me, please." Her pleading was what broke the shinobi's last stroke.

One lone tear made its way down her pale face, "I am so sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Jane whispered as if she might scare the Uchiha if she spoke any louder.

"For being so unapproachable. I noticed your extensive efforts in befriending me and I kept pushing you away, even though it was uncalled for." Akane confessed, her voice adopting a much softer and warmer tone than its mandatory blankness.

"And I owe you an apology as well. I should have never forced myself upon you without asking for your consent first. It was inappropriate."

For a moment the Anbu considered dismissing Shepard's absurd reason for apologizing but thought better than ruining the moment. Distraught, not even aware that her Byakugan wasn't active, onyx orbs met green ones and were met with understanding with a little tint of guilt. Akane didn't like that the red-head felt guilty over her social incompetence and made a mental note to remedy that.

"I accept your apology." She watched a wave of relief making itself known on the woman's face, with the apprehensions gone.

Another period of quietude washed over them, but now it wasn't as unbearable as it always was. Akane almost dubbed it as pleasant.

"Uhm- Akane, if you wouldn't mind... would you consider being my friend?" The red-head asked hesitantly.

Akane was stunned to silence. Shepard would still want to offer her friendship even after all of her rejections? Not noticing until a few seconds later how Shepard's face dismayed the further Akane delayed the expected reply.

She chose not to torture the Commander by dragging this out and encourage the possibility of unnecessary doubts, "Yes. I would gladly attempt to be your friend, though a little forewarning, I am terrible at it."

By the sound of laughter, the Commander enjoyed her sarcasm, "Aren't we all?"

"Maybe." The shinobi cracked a faint smile also. A content feeling spreading through her body.

_Perhaps there is still hope left for you._

* * *

Hackett POV

Today was the day. Everything had to be perfect. Perfect for what, one might ask? For none other than Shepard of course. Never had he fretted over a casual dinner than for this one. Perhaps because it was for someone he actually felt more than infatuated with. And it was just not for anyone, it was for _The Commander Shepard_. He could just not stress this fact out enough.

He wasn't a stranger to romance, he had tried several times during his career, though it became increasingly difficult the higher he climbed the ranks. Most people he had attempted to date were either in for his reputation or his power within the Alliance. At some point, he even resigned himself to being single for the rest of his life. Well, that was until Shepard came along.

And here he was, desperately trying to calm his frantic heart as he prepared dinner for the two of them. He decided he would go all out with an all Spanish cuisine since it was the one he was most proficient at due to his Argentinean roots. Gazpacho as the appetizer followed by a healthy portion of Pisto as the main course. Served with some fresh salad, bread, and of course, some wine.

The alarm clock ranging snapped him out of his mussing, signalling that the last addition to this ensemble of food was ready. He went over to the oven so he could take the Patatas bravas out and put them on the table. Still feeling nervous, he looked around to check if everything was where he wished it to be, then righted his attire. Which he made sure not to be his admiral uniform.

Knowing that Shepard valued punctuality, it was almost time that the red-head would be asking for entrance to his apartment. And as if on purpose, there was an audible chime echoing against the walls.

_Breathe in. Breathe out, Steven. You got this!_

* * *

Shepard POV

She found herself in a special situation. All right, who was she kidding? She continued to stand like a creep in front of the Admiral's place, seemingly never feeling prepared enough to ask for entrance.

_For fuck's sake, Jane! Don't be a chicken and just push the damn button!_

Just out of fear of being recognized, she just did that. She held her breath for a few seconds, hearing her heart pounding furiously against her ribcage. Only seconds passed as the door swished open and her breath had been robbed from her lungs as she eyed the Admiral. She couldn't stop her eyes shamelessly wandering over his form.

Gone was the usual admiral uniform, in its stead was a grey long-sleeve cotton blouse smoothly sticking to his prominent chest. The small V-neckline showed a bit of his skin along with a small patch of silver hair, which added a sensual touch to his already fashionable attire.

_Calm your hormones girl!_

"Come in, Shepard." he welcomed her in, oblivious to her unseemly staring for which she couldn't be more thankful.

Though now that he walked in front of her, he offered quite the view of his rear that was adorned by slinky blue jeans. Weren't it for the promising aromas of food overriding her senses, she would have kept starring at his figure for the rest of the evening.

"Have you been cooking, Sir? Because I must admit it smells delicious," he chuckled with his baritone voice and it forced a violent shudder down her spine. The things his voice alone could do to her.

Determined not to get caught again, she focused her gaze on his suite until she almost bumped into the man as he abruptly came to halt. He turned to her once again and gestured in gentlemanly fashion at the table that he had definitely prepared beforehand. "Care to have dinner with me?"

" _He had this all planned,_ " she thought with no less amount of shock, remaining impassive outwardly.

"If you would have me, Sir." That earned her a small quirk of his lips.

They sat down and Shepard took the sight of his neatly organized banquet. Did he set all this up for her? To say she was flattered would be a fair understatement, she was flat out speechless. In conundrum with what to do with herself, she took her cutlery into her hand and began picking at this wonderful meal. However, that did not deter her to stop for an occasional glance towards the man of her desires, who sat across the table.

Hackett, she simply had to acknowledge, was a grandiose cook. She couldn't remember ever tasting anything of this quality and it made her flush at the thought that he had done it all for her.

_As if! Don't get your hopes up! This is still a meeting between colleagues!_

Right. That was what it was supposed to be, but now she wasn't so sure. And along with figuring the purpose of her visit she painfully realized that, she felt somehow, underdressed in comparison to Hackett.

"Some wine, Shepard?"

* * *

Hackett POV

Everything was going smoothly so far, though he had to often evade the redhead's enrapturing eyes for he feared he would get spellbound if he looked at them for too long. The effect her eyes alone could have on him.

Nevertheless, they nibbled on their food in silence, though he picked up on the frequent glances the woman threw in his direction, no doubt in confusion. Well, he admitted that he invited her here under the pretence of a casual meeting as to not raise any suspicion. That was why he didn't hold it against the Commander that she came in her standard-issue attire or for her current suspicion since it was valid.

"No, thank you, Sir." he heard her reply timidly.

He knew one of the first things he needed to set right was breaking the ranks that stood between them. Otherwise, this couldn't evolve into what this was supposed to be; a date.

"There is no need for formalities, Shepard. You can call me Hackett." he admonished softly, making it clear that this wasn't an order from the Admiral but more of a request from a friend.

Although he was aware of the risks military life could pose to a soldier, he wanted to take things slow with Jane and get to appreciate everything there was about her. But partly fearful of destroying the potential something if he rushed it. Patience was of importance, and he had a feeling he would need much of it. Good thing he had much to spare, one of the perks of being older.

"So uh- Hackett, is there something you wanted to talk to me about?" He liked how she tested out his name on her tongue.

"Nothing Alliance related, just curious how you manage."

"That's all?"

"Should there be more?"

Her head snapped back to her plate, a red tint embellishing her cheeks and Hackett couldn't help but feel immensely proud that he made the red-head blush.

"I guess..." she muttered quietly. Damn, who would have thought a hard-ass woman like Jane would look so adorable when flushed? He wondered how far down the blush reached-

_Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Easy there, soldier!_

He had to pretend a cough to rid himself of these naughty thoughts. Quickly supplying Shepard with an answer as she asked if he was okay.

_Uh-huh, right, Steven. Where did your 'patience' run off to?_

Okay, maybe he overestimated his best traits when it came to this particular woman. She was proving a challenge for his faculties. On the other hand, how did the saying go? The harder the struggle, the more glorious the triumph? Oh, it was game on.


	29. A Sacrifice For Love

„ _Thinking_ "

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

_"I have friends."_

Most of her life had she gone without them but now, after succumbing to her desire for friendship, she came to truly grasp the importance of it. And also what she missed out on during her early childhood, but strangely enough, she didn't feel regretful over it.

Every bad experience was good for something. In Akane's case, it was only through her self-imposed solitude that she came to realize the absence of populousness. Weren't it for that, Akane would still believe that bonds outside of family were not necessary to one's own existence. And from a biological perspective, she was right, however, the heart rarely followed logic. The heart chose what the heart wanted, and all were helpless towards its pull; as was Akane.

Her attachment to Haruko was a prime example of that; the love she came to hold for him preceded every thought her brain tried to rationalize.

_But you still sacrificed him for Shirone._

She couldn't describe how much those words hurt her soul. Sometimes, she couldn't help but think of her mind as a double-edged sword. At times either her greatest ally... or worst enemy.

_Would you do the same when it came to Shepard?_

She wanted to deny this proposition, blaming it on the fact that they only knew each other for a few months, but that did little to dim what she felt. She _would_ ; in fact, she already did. Binthu, remember? She hadn't hesitated when it came to the red-head, even in the face of potential death. And she didn't just do that for anyone, only for those she truly cared about.

And that was the problem. She couldn't understand how quickly she came to care for the Commander despite everything that was going on around them. Between the missions. Between all the other crew members. It was almost as if they shared a connection all along, ridiculous as it sounded.

But in the end, it all came down to her own selfish attempt to keep her broken pieces together in a sense of mental self-preservation. After having lost literally everything, there wasn't much left to hold on to besides the Reapers. As much as she proliferated solitude as a form of matureness and independence, she was always dependent on another person for her life to have even a flicker of meaning.

Out of reasons unknown to her, something about living one's life for someone else strongly appealed to her. Perhaps she got a _little bit_ inspired by those fictional books of hers. Ah, the hours she spent with her mind immersed in another world. School was undemanding, and she often found her mind seeking escape from boredom inside the plains of her imagination.

She hadn't gotten the moniker 'Hopeless Dreamer' for nothing. She had been a special case in her class back then. A loner whose field of vision narrowed on things that a child of her age shouldn't have on its mind but surprisingly, was left alone except for an occasional jab from her peers. Akane was content with their reaction, thinking nothing of their harmless teasing.

Much unlike herself, Shirone had belonged to the popular kids, almost always crowded by her friends. She never had any problems in that apartment, her easy-going nature and good-hearted attitude coupled with a healthy dose of humour made her a magnet for other's social life.

Although nothing could top her foul mouth during sports, entertainment was secured for sure. Not having been a player herself, reserved only for her books, she had often occupied the seats for spectators and simply watched her play with so much passion that it was a joy to see.

She heaved a long sigh, " _I wonder if Shirone would be proud._ "

Quite some time had passed since she formed a friendship with the Commander. And fortunately, she wasn't doing as bad as she thought she would. Even her relationships with the other members of the crew spiked drastically, although that was mostly because of Shepard's persistent encouragement to engage in a few interactions. Like she had admitted before, there weren't many things she would deny the red-head of, seeing the image of her late twin in her.

Albeit Akane was still much or less the same closed-off person that had joined the Normandy all those months ago, there was no denying that she softened up on the crew. Trust took forever to build, and only seconds to shatter. Yet no amount of time could compare when strangers had to rely on each other on the battlefield.

The shinobi knew too well, how war could bond people together. People that joined the fight from separate backgrounds, out of different reasons, but fought to achieve the same goal. They all wanted to stop Saren, though she wondered if any of them expected to grow so much closer when they had initially joined the Normandy.

But this was not a war... not yet. But soon enough. Because the Reapers were preparing to come back through Saren's efforts. She sincerely doubted Saren fully knew what he was inviting into this galaxy and if he did, he must be truly misled by Sovereign's influence. But of course, as it was with the manipulative art of indoctrination, the victim rarely even acknowledged the fact that they were being controlled.

The Cipher, which was accidentally transferred from Shepard to her, had been the missing key to unlocking her prothean knowledge. Other than gaining the ability to understand their native language, she was close enough to control her 'reading' ability. At least to the point were accidents, like that one with Shepard, wouldn't become a common occasion.

It was all about the strength of mind and control. In some sense, it bore some resemblance to the application of genjutsu. Although she doubted that the same mental damage could be done through both methods. Moving on...

Saren had in mind to use the miniature mass relay, other known as the Conduit, to undo the last efforts of the Protheans. The surviving prothean scientists, as their last hope of trying to break the cycle of genocide the Reapers perpetuate, had used the Conduit to travel to the Citadel once the Reapers had departed. They had altered the signal the keepers received from Sovereign that would open the Citadel relay into dark space.

In the middle of contemplating, something crucial dawned on her. She had all the information there, in her brain, she even knew where the Conduit was located... however - _Oh! Not the famous however!_ \- she knew not of the nowadays equivalent of the planet, which left a bitter note on her successful acclimatization to her prothean nature.

Despite her foreknowledge of the enemy's plans, it served her nothing when she couldn't apply it to gain an advantage over Sovereign. Any advantage against the Reapers was one step closer to victory. The next best thing to do was to either roam the Milky Way until Saren made a move or stumble on a clue to his whereabouts.

That was really not much to go about on though.

* * *

Shepard POV

Although the hunt of Saren was their all-time objective. There wasn't much for them to do since he laid low after Noveria, hiding from their radar, undoubtedly planning his next move. So, in order for her crew to stay in perfect fighting shape, she had to play 'errands-girl' for the Alliance and such.

Not that she minded, hearing Hackett's gravel voice was already worth the effort, though it did nothing to prevent Joker's snarky comments from appearing once in a while.

_Message coming in, Commander. Big surprise - the Alliance needs you again._

Yeah, something along those lines.

They had been doing a great job cleaning after Saren, with all the geth, and rachni, and thorian creepers, running amok all over the galaxy. Seriously, what ExoGeni still hoped to achieve with them was beyond her point of caring anymore.

Don't let her get started on the increase of rachni across the systems. Their nests were packed with them! Wrex wasn't kidding when he said they breed fast. Though for all of Wrex's reprehensions about her decision to let the Rachni Queen live, she noticed how much he enjoyed fighting them and his complaints made a gradual disappearance. Her biggest achievement with the krogan was when he finally opened up to her about some topics.

Imagine how delighted she felt when she had told him that she found something of great significance to him. Now she had known that he wouldn't express his happiness openly, though she also hadn't expected him to be rendered speechless. He always offered some sort of comeback, no doubt one of the perks of being old.

He had stared at his grandfather's armour, despite initially referring to it as a _piece of crap_. His blood-red eyes had told her differently. But she had kept silent, wondering what was on his mind before he shook his plated head in amusement, his expression gaining renewed vigour to its harshness.

"I might just be starting to like you, Shepard. Though haven't I asked you to bring me along should you find that turian scum?"

Shepard had scratched her head sheepishly, "Sorry Wrex, must have slipped my mind."

Thinking back, she truly forgot to tell him, as unconvincing as it must have sounded.

But thankfully, Garrus was easier to handle. Though on their chase after Dr Saleon, she had experienced another side of him that contradicted his laid-back attitude. He had shared his concern about the salarian, on one of the many rounds she had grown interested in his work at C-Sec. He had her shocked by his ruthlessness and for a moment, she had thought their friendship might be at stake when she had proposed to turn Saleon in, rather than killing him on spot. Truly, from what she had witnessed and heard from the former C-Sec employee, he deserved it more than anyone.

But she would have gone against everything she stood for if she had killed him in cold blood. Jane had sensed the wrongness of it sooner than her body acted. Even when it was against her friend's current desires, he eventually conceded with a wistful sigh. Yet none than a few seconds later, the salarian had erupted into a sprint and she pulled the trigger.

"And so he dies anyway. What was the point of that?" she remembered him asking indignantly.

She didn't know either, she could have hardly seen that coming and that's when a few words of Anderson's wisdom sprung to her memory, "You can't predict how people will act, Garrus. But you can control how you will respond. In the end, that's what really matters."

Giving how upset she had made him, he had surprised her another time by saying, "Yeah. I don't think I've ever met anyone like you, Commander."

He later even, she had no idea where that came from, thanked her for everything she had done for him up until this point and that he was glad to be part of the team. Of course, the heartfelt moment had to be ruined by none other than Wrex, who never passed up an opportunity to jab the turian with a few blunt words.

"You're trying to make us cry, Vakarian?"

"Do I see something reflecting in your eyes, Wrex?" Ah, how she missed their little fights.

Speaking of humour, she couldn't abstain from mentioning how contented she felt about Ashley finally warming up to the idea of alien company.

Her obvious distrust was something Jane had put her mind into regulating, attempting to sway her perspective of them to something positive since not all of them were what Williams ought them to be. The redhead's efforts seemed to bear fruit as could see that Ashley wasn't as overly cautious around her non-human crew members, though she had been taking too much personal enjoyment from teasing the poor, adorable Liara.

Some might think she had formed an attraction towards the asari, though her sister might disagree on this one. She had laughed her ass off when she had _accidentally_ walked unto call from her sister - Sarah. Somehow the words _Alenko_ and _cute_ had been mentioned there, and she could have sworn she saw a pink hue forming on the brunette's cheeks. The incident had sparked quite a few topics for them to discuss. Jane liked to get to know her crew and the way the Chief had spoken of her family definitely spiked a not-so-subtle longing inside her heart.

A longing certainly Kaidan and Liara had awkwardly misinterpreted, as Scuttlebutt had been saying, by confessing their attraction towards the Commander. She hadn't even outright noticed that their feelings reached that far down, but was, on the other hand, quite relieved that both of them had addressed the issue sooner than the rumours could mould it into a mess. Or worse, a melodramatic love-triangle. _The stuff for Jilani_ , Joker would tell her.

Careful about their feelings, Jane had made sure to let them down gently although she couldn't deny that she felt flattered.

Apart from the embarrassment of this whole ordeal, Kaidan actually managed to loosen up for a time being. Which was an achievement in itself, considering his shell had been even harder to crack than Akane's. Though it was clear that out of the two, Kaidan showed his human side more often despite his adamant sticking to protocol.

...

...

When it came to the young teenager, she felt things were much more complicated which could explain her reluctance to speak about them. Akane made it profusely difficult to open up, not that Jane didn't appreciate the challenge it provided, but it made most of their talks... uneventful. Basically, it was mostly Shepard talking about herself and Akane attentively listening with minimal input.

_Don't expect special treatment. You've been actively inquiring about her whenever you stopped by Tali._

But she didn't strike a friendship with the girl just for the sake of personal information. It couldn't be farther from the truth. There was another reason - there was something about Akane, something that reached out to Jane. Whenever she was around her, there was always this urge to become closer to her. To get to know what she liked, what she disliked, her thoughts, her dreams. There was simply so much she wanted to know about her, questions she desired to ask.

Never had she felt to seek such a deep understanding of another person. There never was a person she truly wished to understand. No parent. No sibling. Just the Tenth Street Reds and her. Definitely not the ideal environment for... for anything actually, but it had been home nonetheless. She was too respectful and indebted to ask Anderson for more. He had already done enough by giving her the opportunity for a fresh start at the Alliance, that was why she hadn't dared to demand more of him.

And just as with Anderson, Jane couldn't get past her bashfulness to ask the teen, fearing that by trespassing the boundaries of Akane's comfort zone, she would ruin what she had assiduously formed with her. Though the soldier in her felt ashamed of her cowardice and threw a string of continuative curses the longer she kept herself from doing it.

 _Later_ , she kept telling herself as an excuse, ignorant of all risks her profession entailed. There was always a later...

...until Virmire.

* * *

Location: Sentry Omega Cluster - Hoc System - Virmire

This felt like the final turning point.

How could she tell?

Well, the ridiculous amount of geth for one, was a clear indicator that something major was happening in this area. For two, the salarian reconnaissance team filled them in on the missing information that they'd discovered Saren's base of operations.

With the Normandy grounded at the salarian's camp put them in an unescapable position that left them no other choice than follow through with what Captain Kirrahe came up with. Oh, but the bad news didn't end here. Due to unlucky circumstance, Wrex listened in to what Kirrahe mentioned about the cure for the genophage and things went south real quick. Thankfully, he chose to throw a tantrum at an opportune moment, but still...

She had never seen Wrex this close to losing his temper, not even his little outburst on Therum was comparable to this. But before her mind could berate him on his behaviour she took a moment to realise that he had every reason to feel concerned about this. From the intel she had gathered from various resources, the Krogan were a few decades from extinction with absolutely no hope to reproduce. No silver-lining to the harsh fate the Council had subjected the species for their mistakes made during the Krogan Rebellions.

Akane was familiar with the pressure that time posed on the extinction of a race. It acted as a timer; a reminder of how many there were still left. The rising desperation that clung to those who wanted to change the course of their species' fate, resulting in some questionable choices. The hopelessness that arose when there were no other alternatives left.

Anyone who knew Wrex would know just how much he cared for his people. How much their overall recession bothered him. She had heard enough from the krogan himself, utilising her enhanced hearing for stealthy eavesdropping. And anyone would notice that beneath the layer of anger from his verbal dispute with Captain Kirrahe, there was deep confliction.

Taking her chances, she chose to confront him before Shepard got to it because while the Commander surely shared her sentiments, Akane spoke from experience, having lived through the struggle. From one veteran to another.

She walked up to him, walking lightly on the daffodil sand until she stood facing the same direction he was facing.

* * *

Wrex POV

Wrex considered himself a lenient man, successfully learning how to tame his violent krogan nature in the face of silent prejudice thrown at him from every corner. Traversing throughout the Milky Way's vast expanse, he had seen things most would not. He had lived through daunting odds - some he was most proud of.

But to this day he never thought he would let himself be so consumed in rage that he would do anything foolish.

The salarian hit a nerve when he talked about a cure - _a cure_ \- for the _genophage_ conceived by Saren. Although the reasonable part of him knew that nothing good could come of it, the tiny, hopeless part that he had long given up on resurfaced stronger than ever. Evoking in him a feeling of possibility and hope - _Hope!_

How long had he been spent thinking about a dream that he would never manage to realize? Decades? Centuries? Wrex couldn't track the years wasted living off the barrel of his gun, reducing him to the typical krogan stereotype that was in just for the thrill of fighting and credits. It was simply who they were. And Wrex couldn't change that. Nobody could. So Wrex turned his back on the rest of the Krogan and left.

But now, everything he had ever dreamt of was presented on a silver plate, only waiting for him to take it. The temptation was strong, yet he hesitated to seize it. Why? Over the past three centuries, he had served no master but himself; working as a bodyguard, mercenary, soldier of fortune, and bounty hunter. He never trusted anyone enough with his life to put himself willingly under someone's command - not once after Jarrod's betrayal.

Commander Shepard though, he had willingly joined. This choice hadn't been inspired by some fancy noble reasons other than for his benefit, acting on a hunch of promise for thick action his dull job assignments had been lacking as of late. Although he wouldn't act on orders, he only had obliged to Shepard's because he mostly agreed on her tactical decisions. And when not, he did as he felt and she respected that, often if not following his example when she noticed a strategical benefit she might have overlooked.

He never doubted her strength either, she had convinced him of it on numerous occasions, thus stemmed his respect for her as a fellow warrior. And with respect came slow acknowledgement of her leadership and a large part of him saw the Commander as an honourable, trustworthy person. She hadn't given him a reason to think otherwise...

Hell, she even did more for him than his _family_ ever did. And her crew wasn't of bad calibre either, though he definitely would manage without the turian...

This contributed to his current hesitation, all of this. Wrex noticed too late that he had company and became slightly startled as he regarded the stock-still kid staring at the wawes.

Out of all the people he expected to approach him, one of the least he imagined was Akane Uchiha. She hadn't really caught his interest until after the peculiar stunt she had pulled on Balak. He grew continuously interested in the human child to the point he had forgotten just how dangerous she truly was. Taking on Godrak, an experienced Krogan Battlemaster, on a one-on-one duel and actually gaining the upper hand.

Had he not intervened, he was convinced she would have won. Though at that time, he hadn't entertained the idea of ending his career in a fucking mine. So he had to bother speeding things up if it meant getting his krogan quad out of there.

"Nice weather, isn't it?"

The gruff laugh that escaped his wide mouth seconds later was entirely involuntarily, not expecting such choice of words from the unemotional human. It was almost as if she wanted to make him feel better, _her time with the turian definitely showed_.

"You're fucking insane, kid."

"Pray tell, what gave you that impression?" she asked amused, that was as much emotion as the krogan had ever witnessed from her. What was she attempting at? Anger momentarily forgotten, he narrowed his eyes on her. He admitted to himself that he trusted Shepard... and only Shepard. There were no exclusions.

"Don't play coy with me, child." he practically spat.

"You've overheard what that salarian said." His voice dropped an octave lower, calm but twice as threatening, usually, it was enough to get what he wanted from people. His blood-red eyes searched her person, gauging a desired effect he knew he would not get from the human.

If she was feeling threatened, she gave no indication. "What do you expect to come of this?" she inquired neutrally. Her voice calm as the waves they were watching. She treated on dangerous grounds, approaching a furious krogan, but when did that stop her?

He bristled at her preposterousness. As if she could demand an answer from him. Deciding he was done playing her little games, he turned sharply to her, shotgun levelled. Her hand flew instinctively towards the handle of her sword, but she made no move to draw them out and he wondered why.

The krogan was pointing a _shotgun_ at her, obviously attempting to harm her, but she didn't seem alarmed at all. The rest of the camp hadn't been paying much attention until he initiated things. Was she using them as a pressure medium for him to cease his actions? No. She knew that this alone wouldn't suffice to intimidate him.

Did she trust him that much not to pull the trigger? For once the second time he was at a loss of words. Then, he watched her turn her head towards his, her face sporting not a cold expression, but neutrality. Yet it was the white of her eyes that once again, calmed the fury inside his being and made the cogs in his head turn again. He felt slightly intimidated by the power he felt radiating from them.

"Our people are dying, kid. And nobody lifts as much as a finger, not that I expect them to."

"Sir, I will be frank with you-"

He scoffed, "That would be something new."

"-these krogan are not your people. They are slaves to Sovereign's will and for Saren to do as he pleases. Is that what you wish for your people?" Her voice softened as it had never before with him. Gone was the monotone voice with a cold undertone and it assured him enough that she was honest with her words.

"No. We were tools for the Council once. To thank us for wiping out the Rachni, they neutered us all. I doubt Saren will be as generous..."

The loudness of Shepard's armoured boots was absorbed by the sand as she approached to defuse the prickly tension between her two party members. Despite Akane's compelling arguments that his rational part agreed with, he still didn't trust her, but he was certain his loyalty to Shepard wouldn't get betrayed. Shepard wasn't the type to pull such a low stunt, he could tell after working with such pricks.

"Are you two clear?"

If the Commander expected a quick answer, then she was mistaken as both of them quieted down considerably, left to their thoughts. He glanced back at the teen who, to his surprise, looked like she had nothing left to add, letting the privilege of answering fall into his hands.

"All right, kid. You've made your point. I don't like this, but I trust Shepard enough to follow her lead."

"I wouldn't do this weren't it for the right reasons." he heard Shepard quip swiftly, wanting to show her appreciation as quick as possible.

Deep down he knew that those weren't just empty words of reassurance, but damn his luck if his decision wasn't remedied by Saren's head by the end of this mission.

It was up to Shepard to prove that he made the right choice...

* * *

Captain Kirrahe's speech to his men was inspiring, if not a bit exaggerated, but Akane was an Anbu. Granted that they were the elite of shinobi, they had been given missions that were most perilous. With a high chance of death whatever the mission's objective was.

She could sympathize with STG's need for moral elevation since there was a high chance most of his men wouldn't see the end of this. What truly had her mind at unease was that the Commander dispatched Ashley to the Captain's command, beyond Akane's range of interference. She almost admitted feeling scared for the Chief's well-being just as much as she had with Shirone's first deployment.

But she willed her nerves to calm lest she would give away her position to the geth. Being most adept out of Shepard's crew, she opted to scout ahead to make their infiltration as swift as possible. Time was of essence! The quicker they would do their part, the less time the other teams had to spent on the front line.

_The higher the chances were of Ashley surviving._

Systematically did team 'Shadow' approach their planned location. Strenuous in their efforts to get through the facility grounds as soon as possible whilst searching for ways to lessen the pressure on the other teams which were frequently reporting in. Akane rejoined the other's once they had arrived at the facility's entrance, skimming through the base's structure with her Byakugan.

One by one they fell, enemies of large variety. Mostly geth and krogan, but also indoctrinated salarians who were once part of the STG. After freeing Lieutenant Ganto Imness, most likely the only salarian who remained sane enough for coherent speech and non-aggressive behaviour, they discovered the true purpose of Saren's experiments. Thus being the study of indoctrination.

A fruitless attempt that only cemented Sovereign's control, but once she looked underneath the underneath, there were a few facts burrowed under this piece of information that might prove useful for their mission. Saren was not yet fully under Sovereign's control as he had enough freedom of will to even question the Reaper's influence on him. She doubted Sovereign wished to lose a valuable tool as the ex-Spectre so it kept its indoctrination subtle.

_Just like with Tani. Just like with father._

This also meant that Saren's skills prior to indoctrination were preserved and therefore would not make an easy enemy. On the other hand, his apparent hesitance towards his allegiance with Sovereign could be exploited as a potential weakness. Perhaps it also meant that there was still hope left for him; a chance of breaking free. The same chance that Akane had robbed the Abenjazū of.

Following the map Garrus managed to get his talons on from tinkering with their security panel, they followed the route towards the rendezvous point until it led them to a closed pathway blocking their path. The slight movement almost made them pull the trigger.

"Don't shoot! Please, I just want to get out of here before its too late." cried the person covering behind the desk. An asari came out as soon as she spotted them, lowering their guns.

"Who are you?" Shepard asked pressingly.

"Rana Thanoptis, neurospecialist. But this job isn't worth dying over. Or worse. You think the indoctrination only affects prisoners? Sooner or later, Saren will-"

Not having time for the asari's panicky rambling Shepard cut her short, "Give me one reason to help you?"

The asari swiftly dashed off, "I-I can help you. This elevator behind me goes to Saren's private lab. I can get you in."

"How can we trust what you say is true?" Akane's monotone but strong voice resonated within the room, rattling Thanoptis.

"Oh! Uh- I've made a copy of our research," she scrambled for the disk of data which she handed eagerly over to Shepard, "here! Take it!"

"I'm going to blow this place to hell and gone. If you want to make it out alive, you'd better start running." said the Commander sternly as she rushed towards the open passageway. It wasn't long until they found themselves inside the ex-Spectre's lab, which was largely empty, save for the one thing nobody could have predicted would be there. An intact prothean beacon. Were in Kami did he get that one?

"Are you sure Commander that it is advisable to interact with the beacon? I heard last time it knocked you cold." inquired Garrus apprehensively, earning him another scornful remark from Wrex, who compared to half an hour or so, sounded like he fully regained his calm. Probably from seeing truth in Akane's words earlier that day about Saren's so-called 'cure'.

"Watch my back." she simply ordered as she was swept up in the air by the beacon's field.

"Man, that looks even creepier up close. Ashley sure wasn't stretching it." Garrus concluded staringly, his sub-vocals slightly changing their tone.

"On that, we are of one mind," Akane observed Shepard's condition with the Byakugan until it stopped, "Ma'am, is everything all right?" she asked with the barest hints of worry lacing her voice.

"Positive. Just a bit rattled that's all." They made their way out of the lab when the Commander abruptly came to a stop. There was a red interface glowing slightly on the platform above them that hadn't been there before and Shepard chose to investigate it.

They jumped at the red hologram that popped out of nowhere. "I get the feeling something bad is about to happen."

Yeah, there was a dreadful feeling hanging over the whole facility. As if fate waited for the right moment to drop something inevitable in their way. The 'inevitable' appeared in form of a red hologram, showcasing nothing else than the mastermind behind Saren's goal.

"You are not Saren." resonated the strident voice of Sovereign's.

" _Well, aren't you perceptive._ " she thought she would never hear something this contextually stupid from a Reaper.

Speculation broke out between the other party members as they assessed the Reaper in front of them. They, of course, had never gotten to see an actual Reaper, hence the confusion. Akane narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the Reaper, searching for possible reasons why it would want to converse with them in any way. She knew the Reapers did not do talking, believing themselves to be above the act of contacting those they deem lower.

"Rudimentary creatures of blood and flesh. You touch my mind, fumbling in ignorance, incapable of understanding."

"I don't think this is a VI, Commander. It's pulling one hell of an attitude with us," stated Garrus in all seriousness. Akane smirked under her collar, rightfully amused. Leave it to Garrus to disperse any tension in the room.

"There is a realm of existence so far beyond your own you cannot even imagine it. I am beyond your comprehension. I am Sovereign!" it continued, ignorant of whatever Garrus said.

" _What a surprise!_ "

"Sovereign isn't just some reaper ship Saren found. It's an actual Reaper!" she almost rolled her eyes when Shepard got it. _Patience, they will get there._

"Reaper? A label created by the Protheans to give voice to their destruction. In the end, what they chose to call us is irrelevant. We simply are."

"The Protheans vanished 50 000 years ago. You couldn't have been there. It's impossible!"

"Organic life is nothing but a genetic mutation, an accident. Your lives are measured in years and decades. You wither and die. We are eternal. The pinnacle of evolution and existence. Before us, you are nothing. Your extinction is inevitable. We are the end of everything."

"There is an entire galaxy of races united and ready to fight you!" Shepard barked back.

"Confidence born of ignorance. The cycle cannot be broken."

This even piqued Wrex's interest, "Cycle? What cycle?"

"The pattern has repeated itself more time than you can fathom. Organic civilization rise, evolve, advance. And at the apex of their glory, they are extinguished. The Protheans were not the first. They did not create the Citadel. They did not forge the mass relays. They merely found them, the legacy of my kind."

"Why would you construct the mass relays, then leave them for someone else to find?"

Akane was surprised by Sovereign's talkative mood, his kind hadn't bothered contacting her people in any way other than for the purpose of indoctrination. "Your civilization is based on the technology of the mass relays, our technology. By using it, your society develops along the paths we desire."

 _Wait, what?_ But then, why would they harvest her people if they hadn't met the conditions of the harvest in the first place?

Suddenly she felt a tentative touch on the corners of her mind followed by a fierce push that forced her to bite the inner walls of her cheeks in order to stifle her cry of anguish that wanted to escape her. _No-_

"We impose order on the chaos of organic evolution."

She felt herself falling, even when she fought back, it didn't accomplish much as darkness continued to ensnare her senses. _I don't want to-_

"You exist because we allow it."

Any outside noises dimmed to the point where she only heard the increasing sound of Sovereign's voice inside her head. _Please-_

"And you will end because we demand it."

_Help me!_

" **Assuming direct control.** "

* * *

Location: Unknown

Time: Unknown

At first, there was nothing. She saw nothing. She smelled nothing. She felt nothing.

But then, there were sensations and emotions flowing through her empty being as easily as if she took a breath. And then, her eyes opened and the sight she was met with was the sight of her dreams. Onyx eyes met their parallel as she gazed longingly at the face of her lover, who greeted her with a comforting upturn of his lips.

"Another nightmare, love?"

The tears cascaded down her cheeks without stopping as she tried to force words through the lump in her throat. She opened her mouth but nothing came out as she choked on her own emotions. Akane was rendered useless in her efforts to conjure some kind of response as Haruko's hand drew soothing patterns across her scalp. For a moment or two, she forgot what she even dreamed about when the memory of Sovereign's attempt to invade her mind came up.

She dislodged herself quickly from his lap as if his touch was physically burning her. Disoriented and confused, she tried to get a grip on reality but she failed as soon as her eyes met Haruko's again.

"You shouldn't be here. This is not real; a trick by Sovereign to weaken my resolve." she tried to reason even though her voice lacked conviction.

She expected immediate rebuttal from the 'vision' of her lover. Telling her, desperately trying to convince her that this wasn't the case yet nothing came. He silently watched her with the cold expression that often used to mirrored her own, perhaps thinking of his next move now that she had seen through him.

Then he did something she had never expected him to do, he _chuckled_. A genuine sound that Sovereign would be incapable of mimicking. "As sharp as ever, my love."

Akane was convinced that this wasn't of the Reaper's doing. The machine was incapable of feeling anything remotely close to emotion so it had no way to replicate what it didn't understand. Feeling more at ease, she took it upon herself to identify her surroundings.

"Where are we?"

"In your subconscious."

"But how are you here? You died... _by my hand._ "

"I did," he said with no contempt. And any other words she could have possibly formulated died on her tongue.

"Because Sovereign forced my hand," upon seeing her obvious confusion he continued, "Allow me to explain."

He stood up from his place at the ledge of the skyscraper and closed the distance between them, tenderly covering her smaller hands with his own, further reassuring her that such tenderness wasn't of Sovereign's doing.

"I detested the idea of leaving you behind without at least atoning for my failure, so I took _precautions_. Before I passed away, I cast my _Kotoamatsukami_ on you as a safety measure. However, I programmed it so that it would only respond once a _Reaper_ would try to take over your mind, hence why it hadn't worked when you came in contact with the beacon."

At the end of his elaboration, he looked a bit apprehensive, perhaps unsure of how she would respond to his planning without her consent. She, having done the same to him before his death, opted to disperse his worries in an instant by capturing him in a bone-crushing hug. How can he think of himself guilty when he had all done it for her protection?

"Do not ask forgiveness for something I did also, my heart," she said warmly, enunciating the words of endearment so he would get how much he still meant to her.

"I guess I was always a sore loser."

"Only with others, but not with me." Akane smiled.

He returned her joyous gesture, "No. Never with you, my love."

They joined in their happy moment of reunion with a single lip kiss initiated by none other than Akane, even though they had missed each other in equal measure.

"I love you, you know that right?" she asked slowly, giving him that timid glance.

He remembered those words she had gifted him so freely a day before death parted them, "More than words can express."

...

They enjoyed a brief breather, basking in the warmth that their admissions of love created until it was time to say goodbye.

"Your friends are waiting for you. There is a mission to complete, much to my chagrin."

The landscapes blurred into colours as their connection collapsed. "Haruko, wait!"

"I love you in death as I had done in life." were his last words as he too dimmed into a miscellany of colours.

* * *

"Akane! Akane, wake up!" There was someone's voice along with some light slapping on her cheek.

On the person's second try and increased tapping, the Uchiha opened her eyelids and unconsciously took a quick breath as if she was starved of oxygen. She felt Shepard pat on her back as she regained breath and calmed down. She felt something dry under her eyes and touched it. Blood.

"You okay there, kid?" she nodded to Wrex' question.

"How long was I out?" she asked, concerned that her episode created a time lag.

Shepard and Garrus helped her hop back on her feet. "Just for a couple of seconds."

"Perfect, let's make haste."

Without further ado, they closed the last distance between their objective.

* * *

"Team Shadow at the detonation point. What's your status, Captain?" Shepard asked through the comms, waiting for the Normandy to deliver the bomb. Kaidan and some of the staff were already carrying the contraption on the field by the time she told the Captain to disengage so it would lift up their chances of outrunning the blast.

Once the bomb was in place, the Lieutenant bellowed, "Bomb is in position. We're all set he-"

"Commander, can you read me?" The distressed voice of Ashley rushed in, prompting Akane to take a look at their situation with the Byakugan. It took her some time to locate them, but when she had, it didn't look good on their side.

"The nuke is almost ready. Get to the rendezvous point, Williams!" Shepard answered with unhinged urgency that betrayed how unsettled she was.

Akane's blood froze as she listened to Williams' next words, "Negative, Commander. The geth have us pinned to the AA tower. We've taken heavy casualties. We will never make the rendezvous point in time."

That sent Shepard into panic, "Get them out of there Joker, now!"

Before Joker could even form a response, Ashley interjected, "Negative. It's too hot! Can't risk it. We'll hold them as long as we-"

She never finished the line as the comm fell silent.

Akane watched Shepard's cogs turn a mile per minute when she thought about a way to help Ashley. The Uchiha grew restless as she watched Ashley's team from the distance, unknowing to the others. Something had to be done about it before it was too late.

"It's okay, Commander. I need a couple of minutes to arm the bomb. Go and get her out of there."

They needn't be told twice as they ran towards Ashley's position at full tilt. However, as much cunning as they had shown with their strategy, the enemy was about to repay in equal. They did not get two feet out when Akane picked up its dreadful presence. Sovereign was here! Along with reinforcements.

The geth ship flew over them as they halted in their steps, "Heads up, L-T. We just spotted a troop ship headed to your location."

"It's already here. There is geth already pouring out all over the bomb site."

The situation turned around its axis in as much as an instance, but what did she expect to happen? It was a suicide mission after all. Such missions never went according to plan, no matter how brilliant. The odds were from the very beginning, against them. Everyone was determined to see this through no matter what. She was certain that a good portion of salarians already lost their lives. And Kaidan and Ashley were seemingly prepared to do the same.

That didn't mean Akane was ready to accept that.

This was a moment she wanted to avoid at all cost, that was why she was desperately trying to quell any attempts at friendship. But against her better judgement, she grew attached and let them into her weathered heart. She didn't know if she could put herself back together after another loss.

Hell, she had _barely_ kept it all together after Shirone's death.

Although part of her wanted to continue pretending to have a strong front. Looking deeper into herself she realized... another death of someone close would devastate her beyond hope of repair.

"I am activating the bomb."

For a brief of a second Shepard's and Akane's orbs met, reflecting the same pain Akane once felt. Nobody should decide who would live and who would die. She would not let the tragedy of the past repeat itself. Not while she still drew breath.

Time was running out, and neither of the two would hold out much longer until Shepard chose who to assist. She had to go behind Shepard's back, although the red-head made it difficult for her to do otherwise. The Uchiha knew that Shepard would forbid her to venture alone into the fray to help either of them, fearing the risk of another potential loss.

But she had to do it. Even if Shepard would hate her for it.

The white of her eyes disappeared from sight and her orbs had taken a slightly glowing red colour, though this time, instead of morphing into the basic Sharingan, the black tomoe spun and formed an entirely new pattern.

"Forgive me, everyone," Akane said clearly, for everyone to hear as they, in return, turned to look at her, just in time to activate her jutsu.

" _Kanzen Saimin!_ "

The effect was immediate as the three of them fell for the genjutsu. Guilt slashed at her for using it on her allies (and especially Shepard), but she saw no better alternative than going against her command.

"For what?" she heard Shepard talk to her illusion. But the real Akane was already out of sight, sprinting in her lightning chakra cloak to Ashley's position. Landing neatly in the midst of the small group, she tried to make her presence known subtly as to not stressed them out. Even the slightest distraction could mean immediate death.

"Akane?! What the fuck are you doing here?" Ashley shouted, her adrenaline spiking through.

"I will hold them off, you fall back with the rest!"

"I would be damned to leave you behind!" The Chief stubbornly insisted and despite the timing, her heart was touched by her words, but this wasn't about her. It was about saving Ashley, someone she grew to care about; _her friend_. But there was more than her selfish attempt at saving her heart from grief. There was always more.

Her heart was by no means whole. Not after everything she had been through. It was shattered into a million pieces, each of it a single unit that threw its own two cents at every decision.

 _A part_ of her would genuinely miss Ashley if she died.

 _A part_ of her wanted to disappear from existence for good, unable to bear the burden of living in a world where neither Haruko nor Shirone were alive.

 _A part_ of her saw in this an opportunity for retribution.

_I hope you can forgive me._

" _Genjutsu: Sharingan!_ "

Akane watched her whole demeanour cool down in a sort of trance, then when her brain perceived Akane's order the brunette barked out for the rest of the salarians to fall back.

_It was better this way._

* * *

Shepard POV

_Stay alive. I'll be coming to get you too, Ashley._

She regretted saying such hopeless words so carelessly as the escalating influx of geth almost overwhelmed them. Saren joining in hadn't tipped their chances either, though she was almost rivalling Wrex in her thirst for his head. And what a reason she got for putting a bullet through his head.

_Ashley would have wanted that._

She stopped her negative train of thought instantly, berating herself on her lack of faith in the Chief.

"Nuke arm- argh!" Kaidan howled as his kinetic shields gave up, forcing him to take a shot to the shoulder.

Jane abandoned her cover, not before enclosing her body in a biotic barrier whilst she tried to relocate the shot down Sentinel out of the line of fire. But Saren expertly threw such a strong Throw at her that it knocked her back a few metres, in spite of the barrier. Before she knew it the turian had her by her throat, his sharp talons biting into tender skin.

She felt air leave lungs at the pressure he clutched at her neck tighter, black dots appearing in her vision. She kicked him in the gut but that only made him waver slightly though enough for her to put a decent hook into his chin, sending Saren on his cybernetic ass, which forced him to drop her back to the ground. She stumbled, trying to regain footing with the loss of oxygen and she vaguely noticed the alarm sound of the bomb ticking off.

Saren also made a run for it as soon as he got back on his 'flying platform'. Shit! They needed to evacuate, sprinting to throw Kaidan over her shoulder and back to the Normandy.

"Move! Move! Move!"

* * *

The geth force she had dealt in Ashley's stead was immense and she mentally had to compliment the Chief's achievement in holding them off as long as she did. They pushed her Raiton: Chakura Mōdo to its limits but she managed to hold out just in time the bomb was moments away from detonation.

Akane, certain that not a single geth had made it past her line of defence, relaxed behind cover, knowing she had achieved what she desired. Though she was unsure what to make of her stampeding feelings in the face of impending doom. She wasn't afraid of death, having had her fair amount of brushes with it, yet for none of them, she had to wait. Perhaps that was the main factor for the myriad of emotions flashing through her mind.

But there was no use thinking about them now... she had sealed her fate.

What was important was that everyone she cared about made it out alive, at least a large part of her hoped, she felt like she could die a happy woman. Closing her eyes, she imagined her deepest desire within the confines of her mind. There were her parents, Shirone and Haruko, smiling merrily at each other. No pain. No suffering. Just them together at one place where she wanted to be.

_I am coming home._

...

_**Don't follow after me so quickly, okay?!** _

Shirone's words forced her out of her wishful thinking, every notion of going down peacefully was cast aside as she summoned her Susanoo. She ran at her fastest pace she managed, trying to put as much of a distance she could from ground zero. The manifestation of her chakra enclosing her as deep in its shell as it could whilst she reinforced it with additional layers of armour to withstand the fatal amount of heat the explosion would radiate.

**Promise me!**

It was at this point through sheer survival instinct that she acted. White engulfed her vision as she felt the unstoppable shockwave blast her through the air, sending her body flying like a rag doll. The impact of the collisions she suffered in the next few seconds were cushioned by her Susanoo as the heat crept up her body, searing skin almost to the bone. She didn't know she was screaming while her cries went unperceived by her ears as they went numb in the face of overwhelming voltage from the explosion.

" _I can't-_ "

"- _die."_

_"I-"_

_"-promised."_

She made one last valiant attempt to hold her Susanoo together whilst her concentration was slipping out of her grasp until it seconds later dissolved into nothingness. There was no denying that death would claim her within a second.

_I am sorry, Shirone._

* * *

Shepard POV

Her body felt the weight of the mission when the adrenalin finally wore off.

Her mind felt the weight of the mission when she realized who she had sacrificed.

Her green eyes began tearing up at the thought of Ashley but she had to stay strong. Not for her reputation as a Spectre, as the Hero of the Blitz, as the Captain of the Normandy, but for her friend; who she had to leave behind. With her head held high, the Sentinel in her needed to draw strength from the sight of people that were left. The green of her eyes, dulled by exhaustion, wanted to survey the storage room but a distinct voice beat her to it.

"WE NEED TO GO BACK SKIPPER! AKANE IS STILL DOWN THERE!" The voice raved.

The person shouting got the attention of everyone on the deck, and most of them gasped as the image of Akane Uchiha broke like glass and revealed the very same person Shepard mourned only seconds ago.

"Ashley?! Wha-"

"NO TIME! JOKER! JOKER! TURN AROUND THIS FUCKING INSTANCE!"

Wait. Wait. Wait. What the fuck was happening? Why was Ashley here? Since when? How come she hadn't noticed? Where had Akane gone off to?

She was adamant in her belief that Akane had been with them the whole time. For God's sake, she saw her! With her own two eyes! Could she have imagined it? And now she disappeared from sight! As if it was nothing other than a cruel trick of her mind.

Nothing made sense.

She was broken out of her shock-induced stupor when the Chief went on a rampage, caused by her inaction and Joker's silence. To where? The cockpit. The Commander, of course, fearing what the woman might do to put things into action, followed her through the decks, taking three to four steps at a time.

"DON'T MAKE ME BREAK YOUR BONES, JOKER!" Ashley's threatening voice resonated throughout the first deck, her composure cracking under the pressure, despite not being still on the battlefield. The other crew members made no attempt to interfere, fearful of ending up in the Chief's warpath.

"How can I when I have you strangling the shit out of me?!" he wriggled within her grasp, annoyed, though fear was tangible in his eyes.

"WILLIAMS!" Jane had never raised her voice like that. It seemed like she had reached her breaking point as well, but it at least brought the brunette to stop.

"Ashley..." The red-head went more softly, trying to steady her voice.

"I- I am sorry, Skipper." The Chief put the pilot gently back into his seat, where he immediately began typing with an indignant huff, "I- I can't believe Akane didn't make it. How could we just leave her down there?"

Jane knew how much Ashley came to care for the black-haired teen over the course of their mission, often pointing out how familiar to her sisters she was, though never actually confessing her feelings to the Uchiha at all. She even contemplated asking the girl if she wanted to meet her family, saying that Abby would be delighted to meet her since she shared her fascination with swords.

Shepard, who was sharing her opinion about Akane fully supported her plans, even having a few ones of her own after the mission. It might seem like a big decision, but Shepard seriously considered taking Akane under her wing, similar to what Anderson had once done for her. Though she withheld this from Akane, waiting for the right opportunity to tell her.

An opportunity that would never arise.

The red-head sighed deeply, trying to avoid the tears that had gathered at the corners of her eyes. She knew that Jane meant something to the teen, having endangered her own life on numerous occasions that preceded any contract obligations. As if she valued Shepard's life more than her own.

Who, in their right mind, would do that for a stranger?

No one, because as much as Akane tried to hide it from the rest world, she was not 'all right'. Especially after her breakdown. In many instances, it seemed to her as if Akane was in a hurry to die.

What had happened for a young girl to be so desperate for death?

"The scans are picking up a massive energy signature!" she heard Pressly shouting from his console.

"Could it be her?" Shepard wondered hopefully.

"It certainly isn't the bomb."

"Can you get us in?"

He set his cap straight. "In no time."

* * *

Shepard POV

"This is as close I can get, but I can't pinpoint her location." she heard Pressly talk through the comm.

They were dropped off approximately four klicks away from ground-zero, relying solely on the navigator's coordinates since the thick mix of vapour and fallout particles, made it impossible to look further than a few meters. It was like searching for a fucking needle in a haystack!

But she insisted on continuing this fruitless endeavour even though Wrex and Garrus felt convinced that she couldn't have survived the explosion. She couldn't face up to the thought of her death. She simply couldn't give up on her. Not after everything she had done for Jane, for the Normandy.

"Shepard, I think we found her!" Garrus picked up a shape with his sharp eyes. She drove as per the turian's instructions and became increasingly paler each metre they got closer. When the shape became more distinctive, there was no force in this world that could hope to stop her from running towards it.

It was as if all strength had left her when she took in the sight of someone she considered special. The tears came unabided, hidden behind her helmet, but still there, when she saw the charred _body_ of Akane Uchiha.

"Spirits! She still has a pulse!" Garrus exclaimed miraculously, disbelieving what his omni-tool was showing him.

_Move, soldier!_

"Normandy! Need a pick-up, asap!"

On a flicker of hope, Jane immediately seized the small body bridal style and ran as fast as never before in her life. Every second wasted was one step closer to heaven's doors for Akane. She couldn't let that happen. She couldn't let such a miracle pass away.

_Please hold on, Akane! Please hold on for me!_

* * *

Words dictionary:

Kanzen Saimin 完全催眠 / Complete Hypnosis \- Is the ability of Akane Uchiha's left Mangekyō Sharingan, which puts a target in a genjutsu, where the user controls the five senses to the point where it can make the target misinterpret another person's form, shape, mass, feel, and smell to the user's desire. When Akane turns off the hypnosis by force of will or chakra exhaustion, the image shown shatters. While the illusions Akane creates are quite powerful, those with considerable power and skill themselves may be able to note slight differences in the illusions compared to the real thing, even if they are not able to determine what exactly is different.

Reien 冷炎 / Cold Flame \- Is the counterpart jutsu to Amaterasu. From her right Mangekyō Sharingan, Akane can ignite a bright white flame at whatever she looks at. This white flame, however, does not produce heat. Instead of burning with heat, the white flames burn with cold as if they were ice. This cold burn is equivalent to that of the effect of frostbite. The amount of damage done with this flame depends on how long and how much of it consumes the body.

* * *

Author's note:

#1. I usually wouldn't bother you after such a long chapter (which you simply deserved for your infinite patience) but I just couldn't pass up not to give credit to the inventor of Reien. There would be a link to the blog but somehow the doc manager doesn't want to cooperate with me, though the link is posted on the AO3 and Wattpad version of the story so be sure to check it out!

#2. Anyway, what do you think of Akane's Mangekyō? Is it too strong? Too weak? I don't know if you noticed but Kanzen Saimin is the original ability of Aizen Sousuke in Bleach (please be gentle with me Bleach fans). I know I bore you with lame ideas but I really thought that it would sit well with Akane.

#3. Don't bother telling me Akane is still alive through plot armour because that is absolutely not the case! There is logical reasoning behind her survival, outside of the concept of plot armour.


	30. Before We Meet Again

„ _Thinking_ "

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Location: Sentry Omega Cluster - Hoc System - SSV Normandy SR-1

Shepard POV

"Put her here, Commander!"

Chakwas led Shepard briskly to one of the empty beds, putting Akane gingerly on the white mattress. Despite having second to no knowledge about medical procedures aside from the standard first-aid lectures every alliance soldier was given, she recognized a fatal injury when she saw one.

"I will leave her to your hands." Jane turned sharply but looked once more back at the grey-haired woman, eyes pleading, "Keep her with us, please."

"I will do my best, dear."

Knowing she would only hinder the doc with her presence, she made her way out of the med-bay but not before exchanging a reassuring glance with Kaidan, who was also injured during the mission.

"Joker, gather everyone in the comm room!" Jane order, harsher than intended whilst swiftly swishing a hand over her tear-streaked face, having no desire to appear in front of the crew this way.

"Aye, aye, Commander." Even _his_ ever acrimonious voice held a certain sadness to it which almost made her shed tears all over again.

Without even considering taking her armour off, she took long strides into the round room only to find everyone already at attendance. They looked worse to wear when she entered the room. Ashley stared guiltily at the ground. Garrus reflected certain merit of worry but not to the extent of Tali and Liara, who looked restless in their excessive worry born out their affection the teen. And Wrex, he certainly was the least affected of the four.

She stepped up to the comm buoy, "Set up a link with Admiral Hackett, Joker."

He did just that and in a matter of seconds, Hackett's hologram came into view. On most occasions she would have enjoyed the view. Now she found herself deprived of this by her distressed mind.

"What is it, Commander?"

"Akane Uchiha was critically injured and we fear she won't make until we arrive at the Citadel. Can I count on your help?"

Thank the universe for small miracles, he must have picked up on her on-edge feelings, so he kept it short. "You can. I will prepare everything for your arrival. Hackett out."

Her shoulders visibly slumped as the hologram vanished, the tension becoming unbearable for her tired body.

"You heard the man, Joker."

With a defeated sigh, she took her seat next to Ashley, leaning back to relieve some pressure off her legs. An uncomfortable silence settled inside the comm room. Nobody knew what to say, what to think of the predicament they found themselves in.

Prompted undoubtedly by her growing malaise, Tali was the first to say something, "What happened down there, Shepard?"

As if she hadn't been asking herself the same question the whole time, she answered honestly, "I don't know."

"You don't fucking know?" she heard Tali snap, _actually_ snap. She expected some spark of anger to rise inside her at the quarian's tone but there was nothing other than disappointment. In herself and her poor capabilities to ensure her team's survival.

Turning her head away in remorse, she palmed the side of her face, finding herself at loss at how to properly explain what was beyond her understanding without sounding as if she was making excuses.

Tali, in response, eyed pointedly at Garrus and Wrex on her side, hooded orbs shimmering with unleashed rage. Demanding from the two a _plausible_ answer that Shepard couldn't give, "Akane always acted as an independent unit, you can't blame the Commander for her actions."

"For once, I agree with Garrus. Shepard hadn't given the order." she heard Wrex add.

Jane was surprised to see him not only coming to her defence but also supporting Garrus' argument, she still wasn't sure where she stood with him after Virmire. No small part of her had been convinced that he was considering switching sides, remembering how important his people were to him. She was aware that his loyalty to her couldn't begin to compare to his people's future and that it righteously outweighed her on the scale of importance.

Everybody would think of their species first. It was only natural.

But as someone who she slowly saw as a friend, she realized what Saren's cure promised, didn't align with what Wrex had envisioned. So as his 'friend in the making', she had tried her best to find a way to let him see reason but it seemed she hadn't been the only one with the courage to do it. It was a mystery to her what Akane had said to him to make him pliable to conversation and was thankful for his cooperation. Most krogan she knew wouldn't be so controlled in face of instinctual aggression.

"It should have been me, Tali. Everyone knows that." This was what made Jane intervene. Pointing fingers would solve nothing, especially when it wasn't even warranted.

Enough things went wrong in the span of the last hours. There was no way she would allow any more to commence lest any words would come out that they would bitterly regret.

"ENOUGH!" Her voice sounded resolute but not angry, ensuring that there would be no further spiteful arguing. Although she couldn't hold it against them. Emotions were running high ever since Shepard had to choose between her two crewmates and while it showcased how much they grew as a crew, if let she let this unfold they might as well throw this growth out of the window.

Wrex and Garrus were controlled but obviously bothered by the recent events. Only participating because they had been present at the mission and Liara was visibly unsettled but her shyness kept her from saying anything. Completely opposite to Tali, who was still trying to wrap her head around why her best friend was on the verge of death. Then, there was Ashley, who couldn't get past the regret she felt about having to leave Akane behind, painting herself as the main reason for failure, when she was not.

_What a mess._

She turned to the face the downright depressive Chief, making sure every word she was about to say reached her, "Don't blame yourself, Ash. Akane knew the risks when going in. She almost gave her life to save you and your team and by extension, the rest of us."

Seeing that there was protest lingering behind the dark-brown orbs she supplied, "I don't get it either, what Akane was thinking down there, but I am sure she had her reasons. Also, don't cut her out of the picture yet. She is a tough girl, she will push through."

"I take accountability for my choices, however, the blame doesn't reside within me. Nor you, Ash. Nor any of us. It's Saren's fault things ended up the way they are."

That seemed not only temporarily relax the brunette but also Tali who sat back down devastated, mumbling an apology for her outburst. Jane heaved a heavy sigh herself, once the tension dampened a bit, waiting for her words to sink in.

Akane's unexpected sacrifice, though shrouded in mystery (and a lot of confusion), made the mission a success, with a total amount of zero casualties (on Shepard's side), or so she dearly hoped it would stay that way. Thinking back in what condition she had found the teen and the dreadful look on Chakwas' seasoned face as she brought her to the med-bay spoke volumes about her chances of survival. But she chose not let it occupy her thoughts too much, even when the images kept making their appearance inside her mind.

Jane knew it wasn't what Akane would want her to do. Oh God, and here she was berating Ashley on her lack of faith when she was also talking as if she was already dead.

"Commander? Excuse me for interrupting. But I have an idea. I think the beacon you found in Saren's base was similar to the one you found on Eden Prime. It may have filled in the missing pieces of your vision. I might be able to help you put all those pieces together." Liara tore her out of her mind with her suggestion.

A large part of her wanted to postpone it until she felt rested, but she found it shamed what time Akane had bought them and so she begrudgingly went on with it.

"I recognize the place from my research... Ilos! That is why Saren needed to find the Mu Relay, it is the only way to get there!"

"Forget it. The Mu Relay's inside the Terminus Systems. Alliance ships are not welcomed there, neither are Spectres." stated Tali, no trace of anger left in her voice.

"What utter bullshit!" she heard Ashley exclaim ruefully, taking the words right out of Jane's mouth.

Although her feelings pressed her to make a decision, she knew she had to go about it smarter than she had last time. She wouldn't have Saren outsmart her a second time. The red-head had to draw out the pragmatic in this one.

"We'll see how the Council reacts. Expect another crew meeting in due time. Dismissed!"

Ugh- now onwards with these three. What should she expect this time from Councillor Sparatus?

* * *

Location: Arcturus Stream – Arcturus - Arcturus Station - Docking Bay

Hackett POV

Since the moment he had seen her rigid self in the transmission he knew he wouldn't feel excited to read her report. Something horrendous must have happened for her to be this on edge. Mind him, guerilla warfare wasn't meant to be nice to look at. But he had seen many strange (which usually went along with disgusting) things during his career and Shepard had topped mostly all of them in a span of a year.

From long-forgotten enemies like Rachni and Geth. To mysteries like the Thorian and its creepers.

He would call it bad luck weren't these things part of a Spectre's daily routine. Thank God Anderson didn't become one, not that he hadn't deserved it, or Steven would never hear the end of it from his best friend. Anderson wouldn't find that so amusing.

_Better not telling him. Eyes up, Steven. Here comes your Spectre._

And his mind was right, the Normandy was landing neatly but he detected unhinged urgency in the pilot's movements. He threw a look at the medical staff to approach the starship and things happened in a rush. Next thing he knew there was a partially covered body being transported on a stretcher towards the surgical department, he caught a whiff of burnt flesh and gulped down his stomach's contents.

"I am sorry for calling on such short notice, Sir. But-" He turned to the woman of his dreams, unveiling worry inside her forest-green eyes.

"-no buts, Commander. Despite being an agent for the Council, you're also still part of the Alliance and therefore we are more than inclined to help you out in times of need."

_As if you wouldn't fall on your knees if she asked._

Ignoring his pesty thoughts, he observed how her gaze dropped down but he would have none of it. "Besides, it is a welcoming distraction from all the politics."

Steven _prayed_ to God she wouldn't take it the wrong way. A barely perceivable upturn of lips appeared on her delicate lips and he decided it had been worth the risk.

A smile of his own made itself know and before he could stop himself, he added, "There, you would put the Sun to shame with that smile."

_Damn, that was cheesy, man._

His brain caught up to his mouth in embarrassment and trying to hide his slightly redding cheeks he looked away for a couple of seconds. Though the full-blown smile she sent him he could not miss, and he felt blinded by it.

_¡Mierda, Steven! Is that a blush?_

However, the smile didn't last and her expression turned serious quicker than he would have liked, to no small part due to her worry for her dying crewmate. It was apprehendable that Shepard had gotten close to her crew often if not considering them family. A family she never had. So he understood how much her crew meant to her.

"Rest easy, Shepard. I have my best working on her. They know how to keep things under wraps."

"I know, Hackett. It's just..." There was something she needed to get off her shoulders.

"... something is coming in the horizon and I fear I can't stop it. Not when the Council continues to trip my feet on every occasion they get. Saren's fled to the Terminus Systems and I was ordered back to the Citadel, unable to follow. I understand where their reasons come from but I find it insulting. Insulting to all the Normandy has been through only to be stopped right at the finish line."

He waited patiently all the while, listening to the shifting tones of her voice between the lines of her sentences, each portraying something different but nonetheless powerful. She spoke her mind freely and her feelings honestly, at least around those she trusted. However, that didn't impose the notion that she was outright lying to anyone outside this circle. She gave people a sense where they stood with her.

"I don't know what to make of this either, Shepard. But I don't doubt for a second that what you do is for the best for Humanity and the galaxy. Never doubt my trust in you." They locked eyes and the spark was not missed by any of them, yet none acted upon it, fearful of the other's reaction. Fearful of misinterpretation. Fearful of ruining their friendship.

"Thank you, Steven."

There was more he would like to tell her but he became tongue-tied around her once he searched for the right words to tell. Acknowledging the end of the conversation, her eyes averted with the turn of her body and he missed looking at them almost immediately but settled for her figure as compensation.

"Godspeed, Commander."

_Please be careful._

* * *

Location: Serpent Nebula - Widow - Citadel – Upper Wards

Shepard POV

She couldn't believe the Council's lengths to prevent her from going into the Terminus Systems. They _grounded_ her.

They. _Grounded_. A. _Spectre_.

And for what? Just because Saren fled to another goddamn cluster. The best thing was that they didn't do it because of the ex-Spectre's chosen location, but because they simply harboured not enough trust to let her loose in the Systems, after some encouragement from that idiot Udina.

She suspected that they would plan something like this, catching the hint at one of their mandatory holo-meetings, but her hands were tied in her obligation to obey. For now, she would play nice. Do the Council's bidding in the sole effort to stay in their good graces. But she wasn't about to lay down just like that.

Forget about it.

She owed it to Anderson. She owed it to all the victims of Sovereign's crusade. She owed it to her crew; to Akane.

Giving up wasn't even an option in her books.

Making her way through the docks, she headed for the elevator which would bring her to the upper wards, the Flux, to be precise. Anderson had told her to meet her there and she wondered what his take on this was.

"I am glad you came, Shepard." he began. "I heard what happened."

It was strange to see him out of his dress blues, in standard-issue attire that was just like hers, "Udina sold me out."

"I know. I am sorry. I wanted to warn you but there was no way to get a message to you before you docked," he leant over the table, lowering his head lightly, "I know you're as pissed off right now as I am, but you can't give up."

"I don't." Jane clipped at the implication.

"They all think this is over, but we both know it's not. We have to get you to Ilos. Otherwise, we might as well pull out the white flag."

"Without the Normandy, it won't be possible."

"Citadel's control locked out all the Normandy's systems. But if we override the Ambassador's orders, we can get them to bring the Normandy back online."

"We can be in Terminus Systems before anyone even knows we're gone," Tali piped in.

"Hold on for a second!" Jane tamed the hope that had sprung to life, "If we steal the Normandy, you're the one left holding the back. They will charge you with capital treason!"

"There will be no Alliance left to do so if we let Saren have his way! The Reapers will destroy us! Humans, asari, everybody!"

...

"You're the only one who can stop him, Shepard. So I'll do whatever it takes to get you on the Normandy and off this station," he said adamantly and the red-head knew once Anderson put anything inside his head, he wouldn't budge.

"What are your options?" she conceded with a sigh that promised trouble on her father-figure's part.

"Either I break into the Ambassador's computer or take my chances with the patrols in Citadel control."

Hell no! She would rather have him knock out Udina than risk dealing with C-Sec, payback was long in the coming. By the satisfied smirk that held more than it let on, they were on the same wavelength, "I was hoping you would say that. The Ambassador made this personal."

They both stood up from their table, set on doing what they had discussed without wasting time, without a back glance which showed how much they trusted the other to get things done. She made her retreat to the Normandy as discreet as possible and made a bee-line for the helmsman's lair.

"Everyone on their stations!"

A round of confused 'Commander?' came from every crew member in close vicinity but they snapped out of it and got back to work.

"Joker! Prepare for green light!"

He righted his cap with the most shit-eating grin ever, "I knew there is a reason I like you!"

* * *

Hackett POV

A handful of people moved around the bedside of a patient. The said patient laid unmoving, obviously unconscious, as the doctors moved efficiently as to not block the other's way. The only words that flung around the room were updates on the patient's condition, which was failing gradually.

He wouldn't know a better team than his long-time friend's Keith Murphy.

She got a slight airway burn so it was no question why there was an endotracheal tube peeking out of her mouth. Chakwas had her on repeated dose of sedatives but now she was put intentionally under coma with paralytics to relieve her of experiencing excruciating pain.

From a bystander's view, one would recognize nothing more than a jumble of flesh and quilts, along with dozens of cables and other medical equipment around.

His opinion about Akane Uchiha was put temporarily aside for her emergency treatment, "Status report."

"We have managed to stabilize her, Sir." one of Keith's crew, Jesse Clayton, if he remembered correctly, informed him.

"Good job." The compliment rushed out quicker than he thought about it, but he was determined not to fail Shepard a second time, "How are her chances?"

"Better, but still slim. 99 percent of her body suffered full-thickness burns, counting out the 1 percent which present her genitals and eyes. Dr Chakwas did an excellent job at reducing the chances of cyanide or CO poisoning." she explained briskly.

"Has her peculiar genetical disposition somewhat impeded the surgery?"

"Fortunately, no. It seems, however, that the residing energy within her is weakening with the worsening of her condition."

"I trust you know what you have to do." squaring his shoulders, he turned on his heels. "I will be in my office. Message me if you need anything."

* * *

Location: Pangaea Expanse - Refuge System - SSV Normandy SR-1

Shepard POV

She didn't know what to expect when Joker made the FTL jump through the Mu Relay. But she stood through it as they waited for the visual.

"Uh... Commander? We've got company."

"I am right behind you, Joker."

He snapped his head to the side with an 'Oh!', surprised to see even Liara and Tali present, he could have sworn that he saw Ashley out of the corner of his eyes but for the sake of his anxiety levels, he dismissed the image and murmured: "It seemed more like I've got company."

"Since we are still in one piece, I take it their sensors haven't picked us up yet?" Liara assessed, her voice sounding worrisome.

"Stealth systems are engaged, unless they look out the window they have no idea we are here," Joker assured confidently.

"Picking up some strange readings from the planet's surface." Pressly cut in sharply, so she ordered for the helmsman to follow the coordinates.

"Negative on that, Commander. The nearest landing zone is two clicks away." Pressly pressed on.

Ashley, much to the fright of Joker, also decided to join the pseudo gathering in the cockpit, "We'll never make it in time on foot. Get us something closer!"

"There is nowhere closer! I've looked!" The XO defended himself from her abrasive assault. The brunette was a spitfire once things crossed her boiling point, and believe Jane that the Council gave her more than a reason to.

In an effort to cut the tension between the two of them, Shepard concluded, "Drop us in the Mako."

Despite the attempt, it only seemed to fuel their vicious banter, "You need at least a hundred meters of open terrain to pull off a drop like that. The most I can find near Saren is twenty."

"Twenty meters?! No way we can make a drop in there!"

A burst of courageousness came unexpectedly from Liara, "We have to try!"

Before they would be at each other's throats with repetitive words, Tali, God bless her, intervened, "The descent angle is too steep!"

"It's our only option!" Liara insisted. Whoa! Where did they leave the shy doctor from Therum?

Ashley threw her hands around in enraged disbelief, "It's not an option! It's a suicide run! We don't-"

"I can do it." Out of all people present, it was Joker who decided he had enough of their raving.

"Joker?" Jane heard herself ask in the silence.

"I can do it." his calm confidence shined through and Jane was convinced he would be able to do it. If not the best helmsman the Alliance had to offer then who?

"Gear up and head down to the Mako." she put a hand on the pilot's shoulder, he caught her eye in return. "Drop us right on top of that bastard!"

* * *

The machines were beeping frantically in response to Akane's change of condition, "Vital signs are failing!"

The group swarmed back into the room to join Joshua on his watch while he performed an analysis of the teen's body via his specialized omni-tool.

"The cause?" The unmistakable voice of Keith resonated in the isolated room.

"Compromised breathing due to exponential swelling." Joshua surmised quickly. It shouldn't be too long before the first cells would begin to die due to oxygen shortage so the need to hurry came without question.

Keith, knowing this would happen sooner or later, already handed out a laser to his fellow colleague. They started out simultaneously at her small torso, incising through the eschar on each side, careful to avoid cutting the healthy skin underneath the leathery one.

They repeated that action horizontally under her breast and collarbone to join up with the incision from before, then finalizing it with a lone trail on her neck. Upon seeing her chest expanding ever more slightly after each intake of breath, therefore widening the incision by a good bit, he concluded there would be no more similar attempts for the time being.

Joshua was mentally elated when her condition restabilized, "Condition going back to normal."

"Excellent." he heard approving murmurs from the rest of the team, putting her limbs back into an elevated position as he watched the others resume their break. "I leave the dressing to you, Joshua."

Jesse, an undoubtedly talented woman, came up to him, "Theresa will come in two hours to take over your shift, okay darling?"

Reaching out for a pack of dressing, he rolled his eyes in exasperation, she could at least try not to vex him by talking to him like he was ten, but he let it go as usual, "All right, **Ma'am**."

Joshua put an emphasis on the end of the sentence; a triumphant grin making its appearance on his young face once Jesse sent a disapproving scowl his direction. Ah, he lived for this playful interactions.

Only did the young man forget one thing, and that was the cocktail of sedatives that kept the patient sleeping.

* * *

Location: Pangaea Expanse - Refuge System - Ilos

Shepard POV

"Liara! Left!"

Wrex stormed with all his krogan might forward, shotgun fastened in hand, causing mayhem with his unpreceded nature whilst Shepard used the disorder he created to her advantage. Where they were going? Jane didn't know, but Liara - as the local prothean expert - suggested they should follow the geth. The next best plan didn't exist so Jane listened to the asari.

They fought... then ran... went for cover occasionally... then fought a bit more... until there were no more geth to follow. The room was dark and humid, overgrown with moss and synthetic bodies laying here and there as an aftermath of their struggle to get here.

And for wha- a security panel?

A heavily damaged security panel, with a hologram message, which no other than herself understood. Liara was swift to offer a theoretical explanation which possibly only scratched the surface of truth. Great, just what she needed right now. But...

It couldn't hurt to lend an ear, right?

"Perhaps you can make out something useful?" Wrex's booming voice echoed louder within the enclosed space.

" _That's what I was thinking._ " The red-head thought to herself.

* * *

Hackett POV

Steven didn't know what rogue thought compelled him to check up on Akane but there he stood, watching how Keith's team began surgical debridement, certainly not a sight for the faint-hearted but nothing he couldn't stomach. He had been a soldier once after all.

Initiated once they were sure that the teen was strong enough to take on the next step: the removal of the dead skin tissue. An arduous task but one of utmost importance if the girl wanted to make a recovery. Beginning with her extremities, he observed them carefully peeling off the charred skin, the glistening pink of fresh dermis revealing itself from under it.

The surgical procedure should have gone as planned, Keith assured him of it, but something must have happened for them to suddenly freeze like that. Motionless, he caught their eyes widening in wonder. A good sign, he hoped. After what felt like an eternity of building anticipation, Keith stirred from his amazement and murmured something inaudible to his colleagues, then to Jesse at his left.

Dr Jesse left her post to, most likely, fill Hackett in.

"I take it something unexpected occurred?" he inquired the middle-aged woman evenly.

The last traces of shock steadily morphed into signs of curiosity when her eyes met his, "Affirmative. The girl's body reacted unpredictable to our standards."

"To human standards, you meant to say."

"Correct."

"So what exactly, out of the ordinary, has happened?" Steven's own curiosity had gotten the better of him.

"Due to the recency of events, I can't offer you more than a hypothesis stemming from years of experience but... the energy that resides within the girl seems to have drastically shortened the overall healing process."

"I assume this is a positive development?"

"While we still-"

 _Beep._ Even he himself was startled by his omni-tool but hadn't missed a beat when he raised his left arm in response. All Alliance channels, with the sole exception of the one reserved for mission-critical communications, were muted by him.

"This is Admiral Hackett..."

"Sir, the SSV Normandy SR-1 sent out a distress call saying the Citadel will be attacked."

Trusting Shepard to his fullest, he tried to block out the arising 'whys and hows'.

"Rally the Fifth Fleet."

"Understood, Sir."

His posture went rigid and for a moment he almost forgot the doctor in his vicinity. "Thank you, Doctor Clayton, that will be all."

Without missing a beat, he strolled in big strides to his ship, mentally preparing himself for renewed deployment outside of his desk. A small part of thrill accompanied his increasing heart-rate, excitement for doing something outside of his day-to-day norm. But as with every rejuvenating feeling, it didn't last long and quickly were these thoughts replaced by the weight of responsibility that command passed onto an individual.

Steven knew wherever Saren went, Shepard would soon follow.

On the battlefield.

Not how he pictured their reunion to commence, but what's got a man to do?

_Making sure Shepard survives would be a good start._

* * *

Location: Pangaea Expanse - Refuge System - Ilos - M35 Mako

Shepard POV

Fuck! Shit! Dammit! They needed to get to this fucking beam asap! Saren was probably already accessing the Master Control Terminal for all she knew, and what destruction Sovereign was causing she dared not imagine.

"Ignore the geth! Just drive through!" she heard Liara shouting over all the alarms that were getting triggered by the Mako's failing kinetic barriers.

So she drifted like never before, recklessly through the battalions of geth armatures with Liara and Wrex deliberately trying to gun down at least a few of them.

"We are close, Commander!"

_There!_

"Kinetic barriers at 30 percent." The VI warned.

_Hold on._

"Kinetic barriers at 20 percent."

_For the love of God, hold on, please._

"Kinetic barriers at 10 percent."

_Almost there, just a little bit..._

* * *

She felt as if she was in a daze.

Haziness had taken ahold of her vision as she tried to make proper use of her eyes. To no vain. At least the rest of her senses had less issue acclimating to renewed usage.

Kami, what happened for her to have trouble seeing?

_The bomb happened._

Aha, right... Akane should count herself lucky to be able to see at all! Quick thinking on her part, averting her vision away from the explosion, otherwise, she would have been exposed to such a high enough level of light that could have left her permanently blind.

Other than being a _grim_ reminder of everything that happened on Virmire, it also meant her memory was intact. Her heart picked up speed as she remembered, her breathing increasing as she became aware of the tube way too far down her throat. Her eyes snapped open despite their delicate state, her insides clenching as a congenital reflex to remove the foreign object from her pathways.

Sharp pain shot through her body as she instinctively doubled over, distracted from fully recognizing the state her body was in.

"Oh my God, don't move! Your wounds have not yet healed!"

_Figures where most of the pain comes from._

A woman, Akane vaguely noticed, came to her aid. Snatching the tube out of her before she could drag her sluggish arm to do it herself. Taking in a much-needed breath once that thing was out of the way, Akane's state of awareness gradually returned to her.

She felt miserable, inside and out. As if she was in the body of a stranger, completely unfamiliar with the sensations going through her recovered nervous system. Grateful that the nurse gave her time to reacquaint herself with her body, she gave herself a once over, dully eyeing her naked body.

Her face was a mess of tears and spit from near-suffocation and her stomach continued to clench around itself for the lack of solid food. Yeah, she had seen better days. Not that she paid much attention to her appearance anyway.

Seemed like enough time passed for the woman as she initiated the conversation, "How do you feel?"

"Conscious." her voice rasped heavily, vocal cords flexing with strain.

Akane tried to massage her neck only to find it tightly bandaged. As well as the rest of her upper body with the exception of her arms. "Where am I?"

"We are on Arcturus Station," she replied, and Akane felt once more grateful for not dragging it out with unnecessary details. So Shepard must have come back for her after the explosion which made her sink into a moment of silence. She truly hadn't predicted such an outcome, not that she wasn't still glad to be alive. Her Kanzen Saimin must have broken after she lost consciousness.

"How long?"

"Almost a week."

"Under whose supervision?"

"Admiral Hackett's." Just as she had guessed.

"Where is he?"

"He is gathering the Fifth Fleet for an urgent mission." A mission, huh, sure.

The deployment of a whole army could hardly be just for the sake of a simple mission. There was only one thing to deduce from this.

The battle over the Citadel was on the way. She wouldn't let the Normandy fend for itself against an enemy they knew next to nothing about. Hell, they were the only ones to even _acknowledged_ their existence! Unlike the Council, who continuously disapproved of every piece of evidence Shepard dug up.

Well, fate had its way with fools.

Reality would come crashing down upon them, if not already, and thousands of lives would be lost upon the assault. Just because of the pride and ignorance of three. The darker side of her most viciously tempted the shinobi to let it happen. Let them witness the consequences of their stupidity! Let the guilt and responsibility of their choices crush them!

But that would put those three ahead of those who suffered inside her head. Ahead of all the lives they were endangering with their decision. That was what Akane made to overthink her plans, although securing the survival of the Normandy was still her primary objective, she decided it would be beneficial in the long run to have as many people make it as possible.

But first, she turned her onyx eyes back at the woman, the Uchiha's machinations apparent by the look of suspicion on the woman's youthful face.

"W-What are you planning?" Akane heard her ask timidly.

The black in her iris was replaced by red and the woman found herself falling to the ground, "Sleep."

Once the woman no longer stood on her legs, the Uchiha's sleepy fingers separated each cable that kept her connected to the medical instruments, so she could safely spring from the bed in all her naked glory within the parameters the injuries on her body allowed.

Trusting her way towards the fallen woman, even though on shaky legs, Akane felt bad for stealing her omni-tool but she needed it more. Urging herself to make haste, she performed the signs for the Henge no Jutsu and transformed into a young man.

Knowing she had wasted enough time for her to lose her chance at making it on one of the starships in the Fifth Fleet, the disguised shinobi rushed through the compound. Having to activate her Byakugan along the way because she got lost, much to her embarrassment.

But thankfully, she managed to get out of the maze they called a hospital and narrowly entered one of the smaller frigates. Pressing herself against a nearby wall, she thought about what she would do now.

Should she henge into someone else and act as part of the crew? No. Too obvious; a crew was a tight-knit group who would sniff out a problem right away.

The other alternative posed to make use of the Meisaigakure no Jutsu although that would possibly drain the last of her chakra reserves she possessed. The In'yu Shōmetsu took quite the toll on her but it had served its purpose adequate enough. But how would she go about destroying Sovereign without chakra?

_It won't matter if you don't get there! You will just have to improvise!_

Well, although she loathed proceeding without a plan, it wasn't like she had any other options. Akane would have to take a risk. She heaved a deep breath while forming the tiger sign. The apprehensive part of her was convinced that this was suicide.

There was a high probability, yes... but statistically speaking there was always a chance for unlikely events to take place.

* * *

Location: Serpent Nebula - Widow - Citadel – Presidium

Shepard POV

Holy shit! For a second she couldn't believe they did it.

"You guys are okay?" Shepard asked alarmingly, squeezing herself from under the overturned Mako.

"I am okay, Shepard," Liara answered promptly. But where was Wrex?

"Wrex?"

A sonorous grunt could be heard from the Mako's direction and she turned to see the krogan trying to lift himself along with the infantry, which inconveniently laid on top of him. Shepard didn't doubt his strength to free himself alone but they were running out of time.

"Liara! Help me lift it off him!" They jogged over to him, seizing a firm hold on the hull.

"Shepard behind you!" Wrex warned as three husks made a run for them. In a swift motion did both women take out their pistols and fired with frightening precision.

"I knew fighting with women gave the whole experience another flavour." he chuckled as he rose from the ground, impressed but also pleased. After having learnt not to underestimate krogan durability, she refrained from further asking if he was okay. He might take it as an insult if she asked that.

"Let's head to the elevator."

Typing into the console, the elevator swished with speed upwards, carrying them to their desired destination. Giving the squad a chance for a breather but also offering a chance to spectate the alarming state of the Presidium.

"By the Goddess! The Citadel's arms are closing!" Liara exclaimed with shock, pointing upwards. But there was something else when she looked up at the Citadel Fleet. Squinting her green eyes in an effort to discern the shape rapidly growing in the distance, her head connected the dots immediately once the figure decimated any starship in its way simply by brute force.

"Sovereign's coming!"

Dread tingled along their spines as they watched the looming figure of a Reaper closing in on them, not specifically targeting them, but the Council Tower. The Reaper landed on it gently, tendrils sucking on the surface as the elevator stopped abruptly.

No doubt, Saren's response to the Reaper's arrival. "Helms on - we're going outside."

* * *

Hackett POV

"Normandy to Fifth Fleet. Normandy to Fifth Fleet. Do you copy, Admiral?"

Joker's voice was unmistakable. Steven nodded towards his Navigator Officer to set up a link. "We copy. Patch me through to the Commander."

"Negative, Admiral. We have lost touch with Commander Shepard's ground team after Ilos. Last time I heard from her was when she said she was following Saren through the Conduit."

Steven ignored the pit that opened up in his stomach. "I- see. Who's with her?"

"Liara T'Soni and Urdnot Wrex, Sir."

He wasn't sure why he had asked such a question. Certainly, any member was so loyal to Shepard that they would follow her through hell and back.

"Admiral, we are receiving numerous emergency calls from Executor Pallin. The Citadel Fleet is suffering heavy loses and the Destiny Ascension sent out a mayday call. Their shields are failing and their engines are offline. They also mentioned that the Council is on board." one of his men stated grimly.

His expression didn't falter. The Citadel was being overwhelmed by the geth's forces and the Reaper had yet to make an appearance in their allies' updates. While _his_ Jane faced countless dangers to apprehend the enemy's plan.

If someone just opened those goddamn Relays, he wouldn't be forced to idly sit by. It wasn't often that Steven prayed to a higher power but as the situation stood, only divine intervention would turn the tables.

"Admiral Hackett! The Commander has given us green light! I repeat, we have green light!" Joker announced.

_Who needs divine intervention when you have Shepard?_

"What's the order?"

"Save the Ascension."

"Prepare for FTL jump!" Hackett announced through the shared comm. Within the span of seconds, they entered the battlefield-ridden space of the Citadel, mayhem all around them as they streamed in numbers.

"Alliance ships move in! Save the Destiny Ascension!"

_Save Shepard._

* * *

She had never witnessed such carnage in such a tranquil ambience as space. There were spacecrafts everywhere, tangled together in combat of starships. The Destiny Ascension stood out in the crowd, with its strongly asari influenced design.

This was a battle of another kind even the veteran Anbu had yet to witness. A battle of astronomical scale. Nothing like fighting from the shadows.

Here, there was no place to hide.

No shadow; just a vast plain of nothingness where every second was lethal.

And this was the place where Akane Uchiha had come to realize that, in spite of how many ways she prided her power, it had shortcomings. There was no way she could battle the Reapers in space with her current scale of power.

After securing the Ascension from enemy fire, they focused their joint efforts on one target; and that was Sovereign. "The Citadel's opening! All ships move in! Concentrate on Sovereign!"

She knew what currently went through every head of any Alliance soldier within the Arcturus Fleet as they gazed upon the massive shape that was Sovereign: Big target. Unmoving. Outnumbered. _Easy prey_.

They couldn't have put it more wrong.

Akane was aware who they were up against, was aware of the power a single Reaper held in store. But they were not. They didn't know. How could they? It was their first encounter with one. Their inexperience and overestimation would cost them dearly. Just like it had once cost her people.

The Reaper was under fire from all angles in seconds, covered in explosions that on closer inspection, seemed to not do any damage at all. Sovereign lifted one of its tendrils and levelled it on some frigate. There was a short span before the frigate was pierced through with but a single beam, bypassing any relevant barriers it might have had. Panic broke among the Fleet and it was heard through the channels.

The Uchiha didn't waste another second as she sprinted towards the escape pods. The passages of the ship were fairly deserted because everyone else was pinned to their respective posts. No one took notice of her departure, safe from the officers who managed the ship's interior system. But they were more than preoccupied with the ongoing battle to pay any attention to it.

Sealing the entrance off, Akane dropped her concealment jutsu and grabbed the nearest breathing mask in the storage. She gulped down her fear as she opened the metallic door, exposing her to empty space. Akane had encountered countless things that would leave the bravest hearts trembling. But nothing compared to the fear she felt in this moment.

Vulnerable, alone and out of options. Realizing how immeasurably tiny she felt at this very moment; as if the vacuum wanted to swallow her whole and never spit out. The eery silence she was greeted with suddenly became overwhelming when she was encompassed in chaos. Internal and external. The only thing she heard was the frantic pounding of her heart inside her disfigured chest.

The thought appeared almost strangely ironic to her. How she could laugh in the face of danger, smile in the face of death, but not jump into open space. It brought her mind back to her first mission with Shepard when she had only felt a fraction of this fright.

Because this was no mere jump.

It was a leap of faith.

 **She** who lost all hope in believing in _anyone_ else, _anything_ else than herself. She tried to pressure her mind into thinking how many lives could be lost if she didn't get over it. Tried different methods to get her to move but none worked. Nothing seemed to overthrow the terror that seized her very soul.

_At times, when great terror takes over your mind. Drives away any rational thought. Remind yourself that your body responds to your mind. To control your life, control your mind. To control your mind, control your breath._

She didn't know how long her eyes had been closed but to Akane, it felt like a fresh breath as she pried them open. Even when Haruko wasn't with her anymore, his lectures remained with a strong foothold inside her psyche. An anchor for the turbulent sea that was her mind sometimes.

_Breathe in. Breathe out._

"Thank you, my heart."

With rejuvenated determination did she dispel the Sharingan to direct the rest of her chakra towards her legs.

And jumped...

Nobody saw how the human shape drifted towards the Citadel, too small to be fully recognizable and therefore not targeted. But once it got within the Citadel's active mass effect field, it regained its hold on movement.

Kami, she did it! Akane released a breath she didn't even know she was holding. Her adrenaline spiked to such heights that she even forgot the disapproving pain resonating through her injured body. Looking around, it was hard to miss the Council Tower so the shinobi hastened her steps towards the building.

Her previous fear was long forgotten as she jumped from building to building in an effort to get closer to the Reaper. Riling her brain to conjure up at least something resembling a plan, but nothing came to mind. She wasn't up to par without her chakra to actually do something against Sovereign.

_Think! Think! Think!_

The Reapers were machines. The only way for Akane to beat one was through her Susanoo. And only with great difficulty. There was no way for her to take Sovereign down all by herself, which was why she needed to make use of her allies.

What was the Alliance's current greatest obstacle in destroying the Reaper?

The near-impenetrable kinetic barrier. If she somehow managed to take down its kinetic shields, the Alliance would give it the finishing blow.

Flicking through the memories of Tali's lectures about the use of element zero in the form of mass effect fields, she searched for a possible weakness. The shielding afforded by kinetic barriers did not protect against extremes of temperature, toxins, or radiation. Toxins and radiation hardly affected machines. But temperature...

Perhaps she could work with that. There was only one catch to this. She wouldn't be able to knead her own chakra into a sufficient enough fire release because she simply had none left. For any chakra transformation, in fact.

_Make use of what you have and not what you don't have, you idiot! The Alliance is getting shredded!_

" _Use of what I have?_ " What the hell was she supposed to find on the Citadel that could possibly help her? There was lots of fire, fallen debris. The civilian casualties were high and there were some geth roaming around. Destroyed wires carrying electric current dangerously lingered...

Wait- that was it! Electricity!

She could use it as a source of energy via posing herself as a conductor to fire her own _beam_ at the Reaper. Undoubtedly, the current's voltage would be immense and therefore, handled with extreme caution. She had never tried anything remotely similar, but she felt confident enough in her proficiency with the element. But she wasn't sure how the lethal amounts of electricity would affect her own health, even if she wouldn't be directly conserving the energy within herself but simply letting it pass through her.

_Wrex wasn't lying when he said you were insane._

Approaching the nearest vein, she gathered the smallest amount of chakra she had possibly ever accumulated and seemingly incited the current to flow into her palm. The weight of the energy that flooded her felt heavy and she almost failed to raise her other arm from the intensity.

_Concentrate. Imagine the shape and simply let it do the rest._

Her other arm barely stretched out, fingers forming a Seal of Confrontation to accommodate the path she wanted the current to take and aimed it on the Reaper. Just like that, the tension became lesser once the current had somewhere to flow although certain merits of numbness prevailed. The crackling white beam smashed against the invisible barrier with consecutive force.

As long as the current flowed she couldn't move from her stance and was vulnerable for an attack but the fruits of her efforts finally bore and she couldn't care less, for the sight she was met with was one of hope. Red lightning bolts shot within Sovereign as it fell in a sort of knocked-out way forward, no longer being able to keep its grip on the Council Tower.

It was in shambles with the next round of fire and the sight couldn't have been more satisfying.

Even though her vision began to blurry, the image of the SV Normandy SR-1 blitzing all across the battlefield didn't escape her notice. Noting with a smile, Joker was in his element as he manoeuvred the 'beauty of a ship' with such expertise that Akane almost considered artful. But she wasn't long to admire the display as wreckages of all sort came raining down upon the Citadel and she needed to get out of the way lest she would get crushed.

Moving safely out the way, she collapsed to the ground, twitching from the traces of leftover electricity putting her whole nervous system into disarray. Exactly like the effect of the Ranshinshō. Damn, she felt tired even when finally lying down.

" _Oh for Kami's sake!_ "

_Have fun relearning the connection between your brain and your limbs._

" _Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!_ " she cursed inwardly.

* * *

Location: Serpent Nebula - Widow - Citadel – Presidium – Citadel Tower

Shepard POV

She didn't know how much time had passed since she shouted for Wrex and Liara to take cover. But what she knew was that she had been knocked out cold and that Jane only _now_ woke up. Feeling somewhat groggy yet possessing enough coordination to stand up, Jane was taken by a violent cough as her lungs breathed in the excess of carbon dioxide from the inflamed tress inside the Council Chambers.

It seemed her helmet was damaged.

It was from the fit of coughs that she came to realize the acute pain on her side and once she instinctively reached out for the spot, Jane felt her left arm joining in the pain. Clutching it protectively to her side, she carefully descended the stairs when she heard something closely resembling a voice.

Or was she imagining it?

She walked after the sounds and the stone on her heart dropped from relief as she found Liara and Wrex relatively unharmed. Only kept upright by C-Sec officers. But the sight that followed left a permanent smile on her face. Anderson was there and he was looking relieved beyond measure, which was closely followed by such an intense expression of pride that she almost hugged him.

Realizing by another sting of pain that such motions were unadvised she kept her hands to herself, but Anderson didn't miss the grimace that passed her features and let her slung her good arm around his neck, helping her walk.

Despite the pain, his next words had her brimming with happiness, "You did good, lass."

* * *

Ah! She could finally move!

What a delightful feeling to be able to move after that dreadful experience. But she wasn't ready to move yet and she hoped that they managed to reestablish life-support because Akane was growing tired of the breathing mask.

" _Kami I feel wrecked._ "

_More like tired of living._

Or that.

This was becoming too much for her battle-worn mind. She simply felt lost again. At least at the SSA, she had Haruko and Shirone. As long as they had been alive, her course was clear. But now that they weren't, she didn't know where to steer the wheel. She was so used to letting her life be led by another that she forgot how to be the one in charge.

Not that she had any right complaining. Akane chose such path out her own free will, but now that she was alone. She suddenly found it difficult to point out what _she_ wanted to do with _herself_.

_Seems like 'embracing life' isn't as easy as you thought?_

Her creed was no longer applicable since no one she cared about was alive. And she would be lying if she said that suicidal thoughts hadn't crossed her mind in times when her mind became too much. Out of her own stubbornness, Akane didn't entertain those thoughts. Because death was always the easiest way out. No, she _needed_ to suffer. For every child she had murdered that night, for every innocent man or woman, even for the very guilty... she deserved to suffer.

Her sense of justice wouldn't have it another way. But despite knowing that she was the least of people deserving a second chance, Shirone wished her exactly that. It was one of her dying wishes, and Kami knew how much the Anbu tried to live up to them ever since. But her inner demons put up quite the fight.

Nevertheless, she simply _had_ to try. For Shirone. For all the lives that her victims couldn't live out themselves.

But all of this, all the small changes in perspective would have never happened if she hadn't met the likes of Shepard, Liara or Tali; hell, the whole Normandy. They were the ones who held all the credit.

However, she couldn't hope to accomplish her newfound goal with her current self. After all, one couldn't build a house on brittle ground. She needed to make the first step towards her new self. And it was important that she undertook this journey alone.

That was why she decided it was for the best to leave the Normandy. Leave Shepard.

But what friend would she have made if she didn't, at least, leave a message for her?

* * *

Hackett POV

By some unknown miracle, which he suspected to be of Shepard's doing, they were able to take Sovereign down before it overwhelmed the whole Fleet. He wouldn't deny it that even his leadership skills almost failed him against the obvious technological superiority that had almost cost him the whole fleet!

"Reporting in: Shenyang, Emdem, Jakarta, Cairo, Seoul, Cape Town, Warsaw, Madrid have been destroyed."

_8 cruisers._

"Go on."

The officer acknowledge his demand, "The rest is on stand-by, awaiting your orders."

So this was the end result.

And they didn't even lose them to the geth. It was all the doing of _one_ Reaper. Of _only_ one. Let's not forget that prior to their timely arrival, it was up against the Citadel Fleet, and look in what condition they ended up. The Destiny Ascension - the pride of the Citadel - barely standing. He dared not imagine what might they were capable of in larger numbers. But that was what awaited them, at least according to Shepard. When? Nobody knew... but they would come.

And they would come in numbers and strength the galaxy hadn't seen.

But that lay in the future, Steven was needed in the present. And he had yet to hear from Shepard. The worry inside him didn't budge against the grief that threatened to overtake him at the loss of his soldiers.

"Heavily damaged ships have permission to dock, any other available ships will be patrolling around Citadel perimeter."

A series of affirmations came out of the Captains under his fleet until the channel went quiet again. He allowed himself a moment of relapse as he stood at CIC. Knowing that he should draw strength before he would be needed again.

"You have new messages on your private terminal, Sir." His yeoman informed him all too early.

Yet, his heart skipped a beat at the potential news regarding Shepard or Anderson. And true to his intuition, there was a message from Anderson, but also from Keith. Opening Anderson's first, his icy blue eyes skimmed through the contents, his worry disappearing with every sentence he passed.

Evidently, one of Sovereign's tentacles, upon its destruction, had crashed into the Council Tower, where Jane had been battling Saren and she hadn't come out of this without injuries. But thankfully, no life-threatening ones.

Jane lived! That was all that mattered. His mind absently thanking whatever high entity watched over his Spectre. Enthralled by joy, his fingers tipped on the other message that soon toned his mood down considerably.

 _Akane escaped_ , which by the state of her injuries shouldn't have been possible. Was she a second Shepard? Always doing the impossible? The message didn't entail anything explicit and he suspected his friend wouldn't keep the details to himself if he had any to spare in the first place.

_You have other things to worry about, Steven._

Right, how would he tell this Shepard?

* * *

_From: Uchiha Akane_

_To: Commander Jane Shepard_

_Subject: Farewell_

_I suppose it must appear unexpected that you hear from me personally, given my dire state of health. But rest assured, the doctors under Admiral Hackett's supervision did an excellent job in keeping me alive. Please do not fault him for my escape from treatment and send him my gratitude, I owe him my life. The same can be said of you. I am sure you must have many questions about what happened on Virmire, but I fear you must be patient with me once again, my friend. What happened down there wasn't your fault and neither is my consequential condition, it pains me if you'd think so. The accountability for my actions are mine alone to bear, although I confess, I hadn't expected for you to come back for me. Yet you impressed me again. I doubt you will ever run out of ways to do so. There are many things I wish to tell you, but I desire to do it in person, for you don't deserve it any other way. Joining the Normandy had made me realize a few things; things I need to give much thought to and for that, I ask you as your friend, that you let me go. Sometimes you have to be alone, to find out who you really are._

_This is not meant to be a goodbye. Our paths will cross again and when they do then, remember this:_

**_The moon loved the sun so much that he died every day to let her breathe._ **

* * *

Words dictionary:

Meisaigakure no Jutsu 迷彩隠れの術 / Hiding with Camouflage Technique \- The user controls the reflection of light around their body using chakra, causing their form, shadow, and even breathing to become invisible to the unaided eye.

In'yu Shōmetsu 陰癒傷滅 / Yin Healing Wound Destruction \- The user gathers chakra to the area of his body where the attack will strike, preemptively starting medical treatment in order to minimise the damage he'll receive. The more extensive the damage, the more chakra it takes to heal.

Tairitsu no In 対立の印 / Seal of Confrontation \- Which looks like a half-tiger/ram, is the symbol of combat and is a universal sign of engagement between shinobi. It represents half of a seal that might be used to activate a ninjutsu. This motion is often used to concentrate chakra, and many shinobi are seen initiating simple, basic techniques as well as few complex ones after making this seal.

* * *

Author's note: How did you find my grand finale? Boring? Too long? Hopefully, some of you liked it, if not, then please comment on what you would do better. Constructive feedback is always welcomed! As per routine, I will list a few points to avoid possible misunderstandings in the near future.

#1. I have no idea if I directed Akane's surgery realistically enough (within the parameters of anime of course) but I honestly put a ton of research into it. If any of you are medical students then don't shy away from correcting me if I made a mistake in her treatment. At least up until the point where she regenerates herself through the In'yu Shōmetsu.

#2. I know it is scientifically unlikely for lightning to be _visible_ with the naked eye in space. You can have an electrical discharge across a vacuum. Electricity can jump through a vacuum, much like it jumps through air. It doesn't glow in quite the same way, because there is nothing to become incandescent and nothing to fluoresce. Space is a perfectly good dielectric, and electricity can jump across such a gap. However, accumulation of a charge is not so easy in space and that is where Akane came into place. In the atmosphere, charges can accumulate in clouds, in the air itself, and on the earth. In this case, I had Akane become the medium through which the electric current would flow and her chakra be the secret ingredients that would make it all possible. In a sense, you should see elements of Sasuke's Kirin. Way less refined, but the same in theory. Sorry for the short physics lesson!

#3. In relation to my last point, I KNOW that it is often useless to use science on anime but I have to tone down Akane's _hax_ powers somehow. I imagine you have grown tired of the repeated concept of OP MCs with unlimited powers and blah, blah, blah... You get my meaning. My protagonist won't be like this at all otherwise the story might get too predictable. And where is the fun in that for you my dear readers?

#4. PLEASE, and this is important. Do give me your opinions if the characters are too OC, I know that it is probably a bit late for that but I haven't addressed this issue solely because it didn't seem to bother you. I truly tried my best to let them be who they are in the original series, with the exception of Shepard who has to be a bit player biased.

At any rate, big shout out for you guys! For sticking with the story so far and supporting me throughout this challenging year. I will take a break to plan out the ME2 timeline and you will hear from me when I update the next chapter.


	31. A Pilgrimage To Peace

„ _Thinking_ "

„Talking"

„ **Impactful word** "

* * *

Much had happened after Shepard defeated Saren and the Alliance Navy destroyed Sovereign, thus preventing the release of the Reapers. But of course, the majority of the galactic community was kept in the dark. Bliss in ignorance, one would say.

The whole Fifth Fleet was awarded the Palladium Star and the 24th Fighter Group even got the Galactic Unit Citation. Both rightfully deserved.

The Council, these damsels in distress, seemed to hold Humanity's sacrifice in such high regard, that they discarded all their previous objections on them joining the Citadel Council. And much to the spite of the Volus, Humanity gained a seat of power among the Big Three - now regarded as the Big Four, with the newly endorsed David Anderson as Humanity's Councillor.

Akane, who at that time had been in desperate need of basic resources, made a quick stroll into the Presidium to 'borrow' some things necessary for her survival. Even though stealing didn't sit morally right with her, desperate times called for desperate measures. And given the vulnerable state of the Citadel after *cough* Saren's *cough* attack, the Uchiha had taken the slightest bit of advantage of it.

Besides, shouldn't she have been also rewarded for her unofficial participation?

Surely, a few rations and a pair of clothing wouldn't have been sorely missed?

Due to the suddenness of the battle, a large population of the Citadel hadn't managed to evacuate and as a result, many lives were lost, especially in those Wards closest to the Presidium, where the geth's infiltration began. Akane always had an uneasy feeling around the supposed 'Mini-Relay Statue'. A pity the Uchiha hadn't understood what her prothean side tried to hint at.

Perhaps it could have been avoided - Nah, scratch that thought. _Nobody_ would have believed her and she was better off not regarded as a doomsayer. Dr Manuel had been an ample example of that. Everyone just saw what their mind could comprehend. And it was evident by the galaxy's ignorance of the real threat that would come to finish what it had started - the Cycle of Harvest, masterfully orchestrated by the Reapers.

Regardless of their significant victory a week prior, their chances stood as low as imaginably possible. They certainly hadn't gotten better if _everybody_ (namely the Council) turned a blind eye to the real problem. Only a handful of people knew better, and that group consisted of the Normandy, Admiral Hackett and Councillor Anderson. In short, not enough. _This_ would get them nowhere near a _chance_ of survival.

The only way Akane could see this cycle persevere was through the military union of all races, which was not only highly _unlikely_ to ever happen if the Council believed in the Reaper's existence in the first place but was now absolutely impossible. As long as the Council dictated how things went then the _end_ was inevitable. But as to not paint only the Council in a bad light, it wasn't as if the Systems Alliance (or any other government in fact) kept pushing in favour of their case.

No, they were content with being given a seat in the Citadel Council. So why bother with some Reapers, right?

Her only hope laid within the human councillor, but then again, she doubted he could do much since he was new to the playfield. Whereas the members of the former status quo had a long game ongoing, based on their mutual desire to stay in power. They knew each other well and never did one of them make a move without consulting the other two. Akane begrudgingly admitted that no matter the time, the intrigues of politics never changed.

So here she knelt, in the lush grass fields of Eden Prime's cemetery. In front of Shirone's unmarked grave. Clueless in her pondering. "What should I do, Shirone?"

_Even now you are looking for directions from someone else?_

Her conscious was right. She shouldn't waver from her resolve to attempt living again. Even if it was only until the Reapers' imminent return. While she might not be able to convince others to do something about it, it stood within her power to lift the probability of survival.

Starting up with her power. One could only improve this much during open war and while she had gotten further than any other at her age, the Battle of the Citadel showed her own limits. Limits she needed to pass in order to up her game. Her current power would only lead to the same perpetual tragedy that happened at the end of every cycle, something she refused to let happen.

Akane was painfully aware that her power wasn't going to be sufficient enough to protect the whole galaxy but it should be enough to keep it alive. Or sho she hoped.

With decisiveness did she get up on her two feet, the doubts of the past making way to indomitable resolution.

The shinobi had decided, she was going to get stronger and protect this cycle!

* * *

Shepard POV

Jane felt absolutely out of place on such occasions.

Her red shoulder-length strands were combed, the black bodycon dress felt too tight and don't get her started on the footwear!

The ballroom was massive in size, holding many prominent figures within its walls. Most of them revolving around Systems Alliance, but still with a fair amount from the military branch. She was invited for- well, because who wouldn't want to invite the person who made it all possible?

Did she mention how much she hated being in the spotlight?

Jesus Christ, people had been eyeing her since she stepped out of the skycar. Social anxiety was never a thing for her but she had wanted to get the hell out of there as soon as she stepped into the room. The silence upon her entering spiked her uncomfortableness into a whole new level.

Many people approached the Hero of the Blitz, seeking an opportunity to meet Humanity's first Spectre. Jane did her best to avoid anyone else until she caught sight of a familiar face. And that face came with Anderson, at whose side she stuck for the majority of her time. Well, up until the point where he was asked on stage.

Then it was her against the whole attendance again. Honestly, she would rather fight Sovereign all over again if it meant never having to attend such parties ever again.

Needing to get out of this stuffed space, she gained a moment of reprieve at the deserted balcony. Staring up at the clear night sky, it was one of those rare days where it wasn't raining in London. She sighed at the sound of footsteps behind her, she thought nobody would follow her out here.

"Also trying to escape the crowd, Shepard?"

His voice was one she would recognize always out of million. Jane didn't even need to turn as her Admiral announced his presence next to her. "This isn't really my scene."

The throaty chuckle he gave forced more shivers than the biting wind ever could and Shepard found the courage to take a look at him. Her fashion sense was a tad rusty but she thought she cleaned up nicely. Hackett on the other hand...

If she thought he looked good in dress blues, oh boy, Jane wasn't prepared for the eye-candy he offered her now. The notch-lapel tuxedo looked like second-skin on his sleek figure and would further feed her naughty mind ideas for days to come.

The silky lapels formed shawl collars that pronounced his assets just about right, reflecting the moonlight in a silvery colour that suited his hair. How she wanted to run her hands through his strands that weren't covered by his usual hat.

Unaware of her prolonged visual evaluation, the man's actions matched hers fully.

* * *

Hackett POV

The moments she had stepped into the ballroom, Steven felt short on breath. The red-head was like a space-time singularity, keeping everyone in her orbit even when she wanted nothing more than push them out of it. Steven had wanted nothing more than to approach her, but he was not alone in this idea.

So Steven had remained patient until the room's focus shifted somewhere else, the poor recipient of their attention being Anderson. And so he had seized the opportunity and followed her outside to a secluded place. Away from prying eyes.

That was how he ended up trapped by her side, magically enamoured by the woman his heart longed for. Few were their interactions, which further proved the importance of cherishing every one of them. Just like now, just like always, the overall attraction he felt towards this woman propelled him to unimaginable heights.

The moonlight enhanced her most prominent features indescribably. Her red hair, although tamed, shone brighter and he could swear the green of her iris glowed under a certain angle. But the rest of her body arose feelings inside him that he couldn't fully push down and sparked thoughts that seemed far too improper to voice aloud.

The black tight-fitting dress that hugged her figure in all the right places and accentuated parts of her chiselled body that Steven would like to see without the fabric. And the patches of skin Jane showed, at the collarbone and calves, sent his desire spiralling.

The daydream ended too soon for him to tolerate as both perked up at the sounds of applause coming from behind them.

"Anderson's speech must have ended." he watched her staring at the entrance somberly.

_Steven - now's your chance! Do something!_

Fearing his time with was going to be cut short because of their suspicious absence, he did the only thing that came into mind.

He reached out and grasped her smaller but no less strong hand into his and asked, "Do you want to dance?"

* * *

Shepard POV

The Earth stopped moving around its axis for a second.

Hackett asked her for a dance.

And against her better judgement, she answered with a breathy 'Yes'.

_Girl, you can't dance!_

Too late for that now. Her mind was out of the game right from the moment his calloused hand wrapped itself around hers. Her feminine fingers tentatively manoeuvred between his, unsure if he wanted to proceed until he sealed them in a definitive grip. She looked up at him, forest green locked with icy blue, a silent exchange of emotions before he led her out of the balcony and back into the sea of sharks.

Although their joint hands turned many heads, the whispers were drowned out by the music and panic rose within her once they assumed the waltz stance. The warmth of his hands was distracting but his focused gaze beckoned Jane's attention to him. Hopefully, she wouldn't embarrass herself too much since it was her first time.

Hackett did a step forward and she mirrored him by taking a step backwards, then following his movements in the exact same fashion. They soon found synergy in their steps and Shepard forgot why she was so opposed to this in the first place. For the first this evening, she felt comfortable.

Hackett's faint scent calmed her nerves as his warmth radiated through the fabric of his suit. She had never been this intimate with the Admiral and relished in their close, albeit temporary, proximity. But she couldn't, for the life of her, tear her gaze from his eyes which seemed demanding of her attention.

As cliché as it may sound, the world ceased to exist as they fell into a pleasant rhythm. Not one of the two acknowledged the existence of anyone else besides them.

To any outsider, it was only a dance between colleagues. Yet to someone that knew both of them longer than anyone else. Someone like Anderson, who was observing the pair from the sidelines. The man could tell that they stood there, pretending to be friends when all the while everyone in the room should plainly see that they were existing for each other.

She loved him and he loved her, but it wasn't that simple.

* * *

Omega was... filthy.

Yes, filthy... but also a perfect place for someone without identity because let's be honest, nobody gave two shits about her here. People minded their own business and that was good so. Omega was a place that created its own laws, though the current de facto ruler was Aria T'Loak.

Described as the 'the Terminus Systems' dark, twisted counterpart to the Citadel', Akane maintained a certain level of wariness but overall felt more relaxed than at the Citadel. It was easier to move in the shadows and gain access to intel that wasn't shared throughout either Council Space.

Nothing unusual, at least for Omega's standards, happened during her stay. That was until the third day came, and she saw something that unsettled her deeply. There were kara but not of the kind that she had encountered on her homeworld, these were _prothean_ kara.

She recognized them from 'her' memories; they were the ones the Reapers had used to fight against the Protheans.

After she had spent some time properly researching her now-accessible imprinted prothean memories on her journey to Omega, things she hadn't understood during the Reaper Invasion became clear to her. The Kara were one of them. She never apprehended how the Reapers had always seemed to have countless stock of them when they were nowhere near as much Ryū no ha on-site.

Now that she had her answers, Akane wished to forget everything she had learned. Sometimes the truth was better off never to be discovered, for sometimes the horrors these answers encompassed almost went beyond the imaginations of reality. But Akane was used to these kinds of nightmare stuff, having lived the majority of her life encountering such atrocities. Still, it brought her no joy knowing that this cycle was doomed to share her experience.

The Uchiha pressed herself tighter into the shadows as she observed the group of 'Collectors', as the locals dubbed them, and humans along with the local Blue Suns. Several things went through her mind as her sharp eyes surveyed the exchange, catching on swiftly at what this was supposed to be. Akane had to bear witness to many unsavoury, unjust, and despicable things during her visit to the station. Hardly reaper-level abhorrence but still, something moved inside her hardened heart at each dormant attestation. And this time around, the reaction proved stronger than at any previous instance.

She somehow found it within herself - the want to save those humans.

The whole deal went off once Aria caught a whiff of the meeting, probably investigating the disturbance. The kunoichi felt the rising tension between the fractions and her intuition simply knew how it would end. The slugs quickly left their barrels as mayhem ensued with Akane posing once again as a passive observer.

One innocent.

_Stop it!_

Two innocent.

Three. Four. Five.

_Stop it!_

Six. Seven. Eight.

_"Why am I not moving?!"_

Truly, why wasn't her body moving? And before she knew it, the slaughter was concluded. With the corpses of the humans situated on one another with the collectors, crimson blood mingling with black. If she had witnessed this before she met Shepard, the sight wouldn't evoke anything from her other than cold indifference. Now was different, she was different. The Uchiha wasn't often prone to experience PTSD flashbacks, having grown to keep them in check but this one caught her perfectly off-guard.

Her mind wasn't in Omega anymore. It was brought back to the place where she had found Shirone, bloodied and barely breathing. Akane looked around herself to find the ground soiled with the blood of her friends she had once called her allies. Bodies defiled to such a point they were unidentifiable.

_Snap out of it! Snap out of it!_

But she couldn't, she felt trapped as her frantic eyes landed on her twin. There was her body. Torn. Beaten. Blood-stained. Dead. Dead. Dead. Her lungs inhaled too much oxygen, she felt lightheaded to the point of passing out.

"Garka! Pile those corpses on the sideway or toss them out of the airlock before their stench fills the docks!" It was Aria's voice that grounded her back to reality and Akane's whole body was sweaty from the experience. But fortunately, she hadn't given away her position and the shinobi waited until the 'Queen of Omega' was out of sight. Taking with her two bodyguards while the rest followed through with the order.

Aria's men took one corpse after another and gathered them in one place so the pathway to the docks was passable, but as a turian bodyguard lifted the corpse of one particular Blue Suns mercenary, a datapad dropped from him. And Akane sprung into action, convinced it held major intel on the Blue Suns dealings. Swifter than a shadow she moved, with two timely executed body-flickers, successfully taking hold of the datapad.

Nobody suspected a thing once she faded away from sight.

* * *

Shepard POV

Jane wasn't fully focused while she stood at the CIC, waiting for something to happen. _Anything_ would do at this point.

The Alliance sent them to root out any remaining geth resistance, currently patrolling Omega Nebula, near the planet Alchera where three ships were reported to have gone missing in the space of one month. Four days and they hadn't encountered a single geth!

The crew was getting antsy from the lack of actions and Shepard didn't reprimand them for it 'cause her mind also went to places much more enticing. Like her waltz with Hackett. This was a memory she would cherish until death.

Never before had she felt so certain in a man's arms in spite of her nervousness about the dancing part. In her earlier marine days, she had rarely participated in any events that involved such activities, rather letting herself be occupied by a drink while the others savoured their shore leave partying on the dance floor.

The CO watched her XO leave his station to stretch his legs, datapad in hand and a bored look on his face. Her eyes trailed after the retreating figure of Pressly, continuing to do so more out of short-lived curiosity than anything else. The bald man went over to the cockpit, probably choosing to relieve his eyes from staring into terminals to days end.

In her apparent boredom, part of her mind wondered where Akane might be at the moment but thought better of letting her mind get occupied by thoughts that wouldn't get her anywhere. The Uchiha had chosen her path and asked Shepard to respect it. So that was what Jane did, albeit reluctantly.

Jane was more than compelled to join them, the sight of the real stars was preferable to a projection but was cut short when Joker alarmingly bellowed through the speakers, "Brace for evasive manoeuvres!"

The next things she knew the Normandy was thrashing around in violent motions, explosions went off in the cockpit and she feared for her crew as the first began to fall to the ground.

"Everyone to the escape shuttles! Now!" Jane ran to get to the crew's quarters, aiming for the console at the far end of it. It wasn't long until she had sent the distress beacon that Ashley came to meet her.

"Shepard!"

The red-head put her helmet on, "The distress beacon is ready for launch."

"Will the Alliance get here in time?!"

Jane evaded getting a whip-splash from a cable, "They better be! In the meantime, we'll just have to hold on. Get everyone onto the escape shuttles."

There was doubt in her eyes, palpable even through her white helmet when Jane handed her a fire extinguisher and she could see the words the brunette mulled over, "Joker's still in the cockpit. He won't abandon the ship and I won't either!"

Their stubbornness was admirable but Shepard wouldn't have any of it, this ship was moments from falling apart. "I need you to get the crew onto the evac shuttles. I'll take care of Joker!"

"Commander..." The Chief looked over to her, conflicted. She really didn't have time for this.

Another explosion sent her tumbling for anything to hold on to, "Ashley. Go. Now."

Praying that whatever God coerced Ashley into complying would do the same in the case of the equally head-strong pilot. Jane knew how he valued the Normandy and wouldn't dream of abandoning her. Once she crossed the breached upper deck, the cockpit was only part held up by a hastily erected mass effect barrier.

"Come on, Joker! We have to get out of here!"

"No! I won't abandon the Normandy! I can still save her!"

It wasn't as if she hadn't anticipated such an answer but she refused to let him die here, "The Normandy's lost. Going down with the ship won't change that."

...

"Yeah... okay. Help me up." Apparent by his pained yelp, she had grabbed his arm way too soon, presumptuous in her eagerness to get out of here. Who wouldn't when their lives were on the line? After strings of curses came from the brittle pilot as they manoeuvred to the shuttles, almost getting hit by another crackling yellow beam that went through the hull like butter.

Throwing him into the shuttle she attempted to follow right after him but she was thrown away from another blast by the unknown assailant.

"Commander!"

And before she knew it, she was harshly propelled against the wall and bounced off into open space. Jane watched as the Normandy, the ship she served on, the ship with so many fond memories, exploded into pieces whilst she was left floating in empty nothingness.

Her helmet was severed from her oxygen tank on her back and air left her quickly as she struggled with her movements to somehow reconnect the tubes back into place.

Her head began pounding, every cell in her body was screaming for oxygen. She kept fighting until she felt like her head was about to explode, Jane had to take a breath. So she did. For some reason, it didn't hurt like she thought it would, she wasn't scared anymore, it was almost peaceful actually. She began to fall. Fall further and further into the darkness until it threatened to swallow her whole.

* * *

If anyone had any knowledge of where she was, Akane certainly wasn't one of them.

She persuaded the ship's captain (a.k.a merchant) to let her tag along, going as far as working her child-like charm for him to take pity on her. Truly, how far she had fallen. Back on track - What was her alibi? Her 'family' _happened_ to be on a fringe colony that she so happened to overhear the captain heading over to broker a trade license.

Okay. Now onto the major part.

The kunoichi had, for the past few days, monitored a particular batarian gang occupying a table at Afterlife. Sputtering things from their alcohol-loosened lips in their native tongue that her omni-tool hastily translated. They had gone to Omega for rations before planning to raid precisely the same merchant ship on which she currently resided.

Her older self wouldn't have gotten into anyone's business, only given if her involvement would contribute to her goals. But things stood differently with her, now that she had Shepard come into her life. One could say, Shepard's heroic mannerism began to finally rub off on her.

Akane hadn't revealed anything to the crew, knowing their involvement would disturb her carefully crafted plan. She laid a trap for the gang since she had the advantage of knowing they were after them. It was simple, truly, the only thing she had to do was wait until they took the bait and tried to board them.

It might seem manipulative, and she certainly wasn't denying it being such, but she opted to execute her plan without any casualties. This time she would do things right. Not like she had done during her ruthless days as Anbu, where she had, most of the time, operated under the cold calculus of war.

The takeover happened after a few hours whilst Akane pretended to be asleep in a secluded place in the cargo hold, between the large crates of goods when the group barged in. The crew was being ushered forward, held at gunpoint by the slavers who promised harm if they spotted resistance.

"Let's make the humans familiar with their fortunate future." The head of the band, a batarian with a brownish-yellow skin tone, addressed his partners in crime with a malicious grin of delight, baring pointy teeth.

"You, human!" The boss pointed his finger at the captain.

"M-Me?" The poor man jumped in fright, sweat beading on his forehead from the stress.

"Yes, you and the rest of you pests will begin loading the crates to our ship! I think I don't need to say what happens if one of you gets any ideas." He flexed his gun promisingly, the message was clear.

The subdued crew set out to do what was asked of them, fearful of ending up killed if they didn't abide by the slaver's wishes. The Uchiha was forgotten in their stressed minds, which made it easier for the shinobi to operate since she wouldn't have to expect any unpredictabilities from the crew.

She fell further into her cover, pressing her feeble body into one of the bigger boxes that the humans left for later as they were too heavy for one to lift. The shinobi waited for the last of them to pass from sight and almost blew her cover as one of the slavers tripped a human woman out of spite, making her drop whatever she was holding. Their vibrating sniggering might have toned out the sound of Akane's retreat into cover but it didn't fool their boss who picked it up. Setting out to check the source of the noise.

That was her cue. Akane prepared her Sharingan as the cause of knowing that she had to be stealthy and take them out separately. Beggars couldn't be choosers. The shinobi was unarmed, hell, she was scarcely even clothed.

Add that to everything else that she had lost in the explosion on Virmire, the equation wasn't speaking in her favour. A head-on confrontation, she couldn't afford. At least not without causing collateral damage that she so decisively wanted to avoid.

The batarian came closer and Akane stilled, her dirty shabby clothing helping her merge deeper with the shadow. He was peeking into the alleyway but the kunoichi needed to get him closer, so she slightly nudged something nearby to lure him in.

With her breath held and eyes at the ready, he came warily closer and she pounced on him. Once he succumbed to the genjutsu, she lowered him slowly to the ground as to not alert the other two. But she suspected they would get alerted soon enough by the sudden disappearance of their boss so she sat out the interval for the humans to get out of earshot once more.

"Hey, Boss? You there?"

His partner murmured something under his nose when their question was met with silence, then they went out to search for him, guns held in a tighter grip. She watched them from the sidelines, hidden from view, and once one of them passed her hiding spot, she pounced once again like a predator.

The nearest one she managed to flung against a wall with an enhanced kick, but the second reacted quicker than she could have expected. At least Akane managed to shunshin away before he fired at the same position she had been at milliseconds before.

"Where are you, filthy human?!" he shouted, angrily chasing his own tail in search of her.

Akane thought about the best course to attack him. Conveniently, the humans came back and Akane fled the batarian's mind for a second as he regarded the merchant's crew with intent to kill if they wouldn't go away within the next seconds.

Yet much to the slaver's bad luck; a second was all that the veteran Anbu needed. Akane resurfaced behind him, kicking him on the backside of his knee which forced him to lose his balance and fall right into her hands. The crunch that resulted from snapping his neck felt almost uncomfortable to her own ears. And she was a trained killer.

Ensuring that he was truly dead, she waited for any kind of response from the batarian, but he remained unmoving.

"Y-You killed them?" The merchant, who was initially dubious of her, eyed her with fear but also hints of... admiration? Truly, her eyes must be misleading her?

Part of Akane would have usually rebuked with an apathetic response by now but oddly found in herself the inability to do so, which she found peculiar considering she had stuck to the same mannerism for the past five years.

_Shepard strikes again._

" _Honestly, how much has the redhead influenced me?_ "

_Definitely more than your nonexistent puberty._

...

" _Shut up._ "

This shinobi's attention switched back onto the merchant, who began fidgeting nervously, intimidated by her silence. "Only this one, but the other two are knocked out cold."

"Other two?" The woman who had been tripped earlier asked timidly.

Akane, knowing they had no clue what she had done prior to all this, went and dragged out the body of the slavers' boss. Surprising them even more?

Hold on a second... She had witnessed many outcomes of such situations when she killed in front of civilians, which usually ended up with expressions of shock, to fear, to utter disgust. But the merchant's crew appeared... relieved? Elated? She was having trouble reading those absurd mixed signals.

That was until another human woman trapped her in a bear-hug, spilling words of gratefulness that never seemed to end.

"Thank you so much for saving me! I don't know what my little boy would have done without his mother..."

That was certainly... unexpected.

_Elite Anbu, huh?_

The faint traces of shock dispersed quickly and Akane vaguely remembered hugging back. This day was getting quirkier by the minute. Akane gently dislodged the sobbing female from their embrace, setting on a neutral facade that neither displayed her habitual emotionlessness nor the subsidiary coldness that people usually felt in her vicinity.

And the kunoichi felt surprisingly fresh.

She turned her gaze at the merchant, who seemed to have calmed down by now. "Are there any other slavers left on their ship?"

"Yes, there we-"

"Boss? Boss, you went silent. Did something happen?" The whole lot went dead silent at the voice of another slaver resonating through the omni-tool of one of the unconscious batarians.

She silently gestured for them to move closer so she wouldn't have to increase her volume, "Bound those two while I go deal with the rest of them please."

Some of them insisted on going with her, but she quickly shut down their courageous offers, convincing them to not endanger their lives unnecessarily. She would handle it.

"Please be careful." The teary-eyed woman said softly and Akane's mind flashed back into the past when someone precious said something very much like this.

(Flashback)

„Yes, Miss nar Rayya?"

„Just... be careful, alright?" Tali said quietly, her gaze fixed on the floor while fiddling with her hands. The sentiment made Akane warm around the heart. It had passed some time since anyone cared for her well-being.

„I will and your meal is on fire." Akane pointed out. Chuckling to herself as Tali called out, "Keehla!"

(End of flashback)

The memory brought a genuine smile to her lips, one which the crew could have seen weren't it for her turned back. With an inhale of air, she brought her mind back into a state of concentration. Her mission wasn't yet finished.

* * *

Hackett POV

He felt his galaxy crumbling, piece by agonizing piece.

As soon as he had received the news of the Normandy's destruction he set out, uncaring if he was going against Command or not. This was too important to postpone, Jane was too important.

The Admiral deployed a fraction of the Fifth Fleet for the retrieval of the SSV Normandy SR-1. Only to find almost nothing left of it, a few spare parts which weren't within the planet's pull. There was also no sight of the enemy as well, meaning that they came too late.

But there was still hope. Hope that she was amongst the survivors who they were about to retrieve. Jane had to be.

"All evac shuttles identified. Shall we proceed with the extraction?"

"Bring them in." The words passed hoarsely through his throat, displaying a sort of tenseness that wasn't from military drills.

It took a while and for Steven, they were to most painful minutes of his entire life, because each time they brought one shuttle in, he dangled on a fragile edge of hope and despair. No one from the already retrieved escape pods knew of the Commander's fate, claiming that they were the first to evacuate. It was the last pod they could find and the ever stern Admiral felt led on by his spiralling emotions.

One by one he watched the crew members Steven knew by name entered his ship. Chakwas, Williams, Joker and... no.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Jane wasn't there which meant only one thing.

Joker stared at him as the Admiral stood as still as a statue. Guilt and sorrow weighing heavily on his face as he said something that would crush Steven beyond recovery, "Shepard's gone."

* * *

She moved carefully forward, not letting herself getting over her head. The slavers' ship was dark, which allowed her to apply haste in her transition. No doubt the rest of the slavers that were left supervising were growing suspicious by their partners' silence in the comm channel.

Rightly so, some time had passed since their last reply and she wouldn't... well, she had a fair idea what they might do if they discovered the truth.

The Anbu needed to cut their numbers sooner ere they would realize what was going on. For the humans' sake.

Exchanging one Sharingan for the Byakugan, she was about to plan the most effective route for her assassinations but the visual input she was getting stopped her in her tracks. She was zooming in on how a batarian had some 'fun' with one female slave. A human, unsurprisingly.

Clothes ragged. Body unhealthily thin. A collar around her neck as if she was just some pet.

It roused something within the teen. Something dangerous.

Akane wasn't prone to aggressive behaviour, wasn't prone to let her emotions overtake her rational mind, wasn't prone to act on random impulses... but the blood in her veins positively boiled at the sight. Regardless of her refuting mind to seize advantage of the slaver's occupation by taking out his partners, she couldn't witness another second of this... abhorrence.

So she made haste towards the room where all of the slaves were being held and stopped at the entrance, her silhouette outlined from the light of the corridor against the darker complexity of the room.

A normal person wouldn't have seen much, lest the cages filled with slaves. Some beaten, some occupying the farthest corner of their cages that hosted more than one occupant. Some looking dejectedly without any life flickering in their eyes, their minds trying to flee the misery of life. Only some of them took notice of her presence but otherwise displayed no sign of acknowledgement whatsoever.

Granted, the Uchiha possessed a range of vision unlike anyone else and she... S _aw. It. All_.

"Hey, what's the matter? You're through already? Eh?" The guttural voice taunted into the soundlessness of the room, bouncing off the walls and cages.

He was tugging at the chain once he stopped punching her, playing to his heart's twisted content with the female human who was turning black and blue from all the physical abuse. Her breathing was irregular and Akane's trained eye could see that her bones were on the verge of breaking at some places.

The woman's chapped lips parted but no sound came from her other than the faintest grunt but she still tried to put a distance from the batarian who, in return, tore at the chain more forcefully as he hurriedly peeled off his armour. His intent clear.

Akane's skin prickled with unbidden rage but she wasn't the type to go on a rampage, no, she was the kind that let it simmer and amplify her actions.

" **What are you doing?** "

The tone that came from her was rich in venom and her killing intent leaked in lengths and potency that left others paralysed by fear. But on the main subject of her murderous gaze, Akane inflicted images of death as if they were real and he was visibly shaking and struggling to stay on his feet.

"W-W-Who a-are you?" she heard him ask while slumping down on his ass, gasping. He shouldn't be able to get a word out, but she suspected that him seeing her as a mere child left him enough punch to do so.

Having less than a flicker of intention in answering him, she worked on closing the distance, the tension magnifying with each purposeful step she took towards him. Akane's wrath had reached its peak and the fire that burned through her reminded her of what she once used to be. How she used to be a slave to the kinds of anger and hatred.

"Now," she began calmly, "I feel no need to spare her your life. You are going to die here."

"W-W-Wait! Why are you doing this?!"

"You don't know?! Even in the light of all you've done?"

"Eh?" Even now he wasn't even aware of his wrongdoings. She let out a short sigh at his confusion, closing her eyes in pity. Was there truly no hope for him? There was a clear way so why didn't he see it? Was he too blinded by his own shortcomings?

When he saw that Akane wasn't going to change her mind he resorted to begging, "I can give you money, just don't kill me!"

There was _none_.

She opened them again and slit his throat with her chakra scalpel. He clutched at his throat as if it would help him contain the flow of blood.

"Stay here and die."

Retracting her chakra scalpel to minimise chakra exertion, she walked over to the human who this scum abused for Kami knew how long. Mindful of her current condition she approached carefully, tenderly but she still flinched as she saw her frame. Akane retaliated by halting her movements, aiming to avoid upsetting her by her actions.

Just in time for the leftover slavers to get up to speed. The kunoichi looked once again at the beaten woman on the ground, then at the other slaves in the room, "I will come back for you," she vowed, her voice strong and her will unrelenting.

And so the Anbu set out to do what she had promised and took them out. Slaver after slaver fell to her skill, unlike the slow death she had granted their previous member, their deaths were rash but quick in succession, as to not keep neither the slaves nor the merchant's crew waiting.

When she came back to the hiding crew she must have posed quite the gruesome sight, with all the red blood splattered all over her modest clothing. Eyes back to their inborn colour.

The merchant already looked as if an entire boulder had fallen off his shoulders, whether it was because of Akane's reassuring appearance or his genuine worry, "You're back!"

As always, Akane, being a woman of few words, didn't answer when it wasn't necessary. But slackened her nature in favour of asking for help with freeing the slaves. The sooner they would get out of this oppressive environment the better. Kami knew for how long those god-forsaken slavers kept them there.

Whilst those who were willing in assisting were taking care of the caged individuals, the kunoichi focused on the seriously injured. The woman she had saved earlier coming to the forefront. Lowering herself next to her, she worked first on removing the chain from her neck.

She was by no means, an expert on medical ninjutsu, but she grasped the basics enough to perform the Shōsen Jutsu and Chakura no Mesu for simple, useful application. Akane felt conflicted about healing the humans because she feared how her chakra would affect them, but on the other hand, Liara had seemed to have responded well to her treatment back on Therum.

That had been an exception.

_Plus, you weren't in the right mind at that time._

Yeah, the massive headache did a number on her back then.

_And you felt guilty because that one geth escaped your radar and hurt Liara._

In other words, she hadn't been _thinking_ about the consequences _at all._ Which had been incredibly careless of her but luckily didn't affect the blueish asari's health in any form. Thank the universe for small miracles. Akane wouldn't have been able to live with another burden on her conscience.

But this time she was of clear mind, except for her battling thoughts. Akane looked around and waited for a moment of temporary seclusion so she could turn on her Byakugan.

Vanishing the Byakugan, she let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. There seemed to be nothing life-threatening going on inside her body, which left Akane massively relieved that she had evaluated her health correctly in spite of her unconventional fit of anger. But there was still the issue of relieving her pain or wait for...

"Please..."

Attentive eyes snapped towards the woman's, palpable pain and misery behind her semi-closed eyelids that moved Akane's heart in ways that she thought herself impervious against. Another beg left the suffering human, more desperate than first.

She knew what the woman pleaded for and a memory - oh so painful - wretched the kunoichi's body like a tactless pulse.

Every person had a breaking point - and the woman had just reached hers. It was a point where death seemed like the only escape from life. She had watched people - people she loved - being driven to the sharp edge of a knife, the narrow edge of a cliff too steep.

For many of her people, in many cases shinobi, the struggle against the Reapers had become too much. Had stretched past their limits to handle and so they had simply... lost their will to live. Those who had been on the frontlines knew how bleak their chances of survival stood in reality. And every ninja of the SSA had acknowledged the importance of discretion in an effort to retain morale.

But this woman... this human... deserved not to perish this way. There was still so much that life had in store for her. She needed to convince her, help her - to see past the pain life bestowed unto a person.

The answer she had failed to realize was _empathy_.

Something so simple yet she had done all to walk the opposite way. It wondered her not that she found out all too late, after all, who was it that upheld the creed of shinobi to an almost religious extent?

" _A coward._ "

That was who she was, who she had been.

Hiding behind rules that had been created by people who lacked the courage to confront, to accept their emotions stemming from the ramifications of their actions.

" _It helped me to follow them, made my job - the killing - easier._ "

Still, that wasn't an excuse for hiding behind a mask of apathy when her co-workers, her team, her friends, her kin... had needed her the most.

" _So I have failed in more ways than one?_ "

_You did. But the important thing is, you don't have to anymore, right?_

" _No, I don't._ "

_Don't waste this chance. Help her. Help them. Tell them that you understand. Give them a reason to hold on. Show them that there is still an opportunity to grow and heal._

_Like Shirone would. Like Shepard would._

" _Yes._ "

An unknown time passed on the outside of her mind when Akane gently cradled the woman on her arms, cupping her bruised cheek with her right and letting a warm feeling spread through the woman as she let her chakra flow. Sporting an expression of tenderness that had her face only adorned in Shirone's or Haruko's presence, the kunoichi gathered all her focus

"I know the pain is immense but don't give up." The apathy slowly ebbed away from her eyes as did the alarming colouring on the woman's face.

"Hold on, you are stronger than this and even if you aren't, I will stay by your side." The bruises began dimming under her skin but Akane didn't let it stop her from continuing.

"You are not **alone** in this."

" _I wasn't either._ "

This seemed to be the last straw for the woman's tears to soak her hand unrelentingly.

"Thank you." The woman's lips quivered, body shaking with suppressed emotions, "Thank you so much."

Akane accommodated the woman when she went for an embrace, pouring some more chakra to her torso to dampen the pain. Even if she was still much reserved with public affection, she was aware of what the woman desperately needed so she wouldn't deny her the comfort.

"There, there," once she finally felt it safe to interrupt her abundant sputtering of gratitudes, she did so, "tell me your name."

The woman went to dry her tear-ridden face with her arms, giving Akane a small smile. "Amara," she sniffed, Amara Dawson."

"Now, Amara, I know I may be nothing but a stranger to you but can you stand up?"

She sniffed one last time, swishing her tear-stricken face to get rid of the wetness, then made an effort to stand up, clawing at Akane's arms for support in case she fell. Grimacing, Akane was there to support her through each painful step until they reached the cargo hold where she let her sit back down between the other humans.

Amara clutched at Akane's arm when she saw her leaving, nails biting into hairless skin unpleasantly. "Please. Please don't leave me."

The kunoichi threw another tender glance at Amara, "I will get you something to eat, okay?"

Much against the Anbu's suggestion, the woman insisted she needed her company more than food and so the Uchiha pondered over a compromise. At last, she decided on giving Amara her cloak. A shabby and torn thing, now dyed red at some places. But it was the best she could offer in terms of possessions and assurance, for the thought behind was meant as such.

The black-haired woman appreciated the gesture and much to Akane's relief was enough to let her be off. There was much to discuss as the merchant watched in dismay at the number of people in his cargo hold.

"What should we do with them?" That earned him a not-so-subtle jab from the woman who had strangled Akane into a death-embrace not all too long ago.

"For Christ's sake Peter! Look what they've been through! This could have been our fate weren't it for the girl! By the way, dearie, I didn't catch your name?"

After much speculation, Akane divulged her first name, "Akane."

"Well, Akane, I believe this must be said: Thank you for saving us!"

Akane shrugged it smoothly off, "No big deal."

The next days went by quite fast. Amara's skin took on a healthier colour, just like her fellow captives, although the shinobi doubted that their mental wounds would leave them just as quick. She could make an effort of offering words of comfort deriving from her own traumatic experiences but she wasn't yet prepared to openly talk about them. How could she hope to help others when she bled out in the process? Would that even help anyone?

No, she needed to help herself first.

For once in her life, she was the priority.

" _Do I have any hope of healing too?_ "

_If you allow it to be, then yes._

* * *

Words dictionary:

Chakura no Mesu チャクラのメス / Chakra Scalpel \- This medical technique forms one's chakra into a small, sharp blade. The chakra scalpel can also be used offensively, although it requires great precision to be effective. Because of this requirement, using the chakra scalpel offensively is highly unusual. In heated combat, even the greatest medical-nin won't be able to exert the precision needed to make fatal cuts, but it can still effectively cut muscle tissues and tendons, rendering the target immobile.

Shōsen Jutsu 掌仙術 / Mystical Palm Technique \- The user applies their hand to the afflicted or wounded part of the body and sends chakra into it, accelerating the body's natural healing abilities. Although its most obvious use is as a way of treating external wounds, it can also be used for internal illnesses. Users must be careful to only use as much chakra as is needed for the specific injury. If too much chakra is sent into the body, this can disrupt the body's circulation, putting it into a comatose state.

* * *

Author's note:

I will not keep you long, however, I feel that I need to dash out a big shout-out to Shackett74, who has diligently reviewed and supported me throughout my journey as an author. There are more of you that continue to read my fanfic so you have my gratitude as well. Please, constructive criticism is always welcomed because I am inexperienced and fare without a beta-reader so I am pretty much on my own. Although I doubt that I would have the courage to work with one either. Anyways, I hope you like the chapter!


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